ISSN 2330-6629
LAUREL MOUNTAIN
POST
now featuring the
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Westmoreland County Guide to Homes
Tunes of Gray
Begins on Page 23
Sarah Gray Armstrong and the Gray Boys Fall Beer Bucket List On Rage and Invisibility Sugar Can Spoil Your Season The Waypoint, Not the Destination How to Choose an Instrument Goldenrod – Is It Good for Anything? Flax Scutching Festival A Low-Tech Girl in a High-Tech World Human Tales Tell Me Something Good
September LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST, September 2013 -2013 1
Welcome Back! We have taken the long sumer break to work on some great new ideas here at the Laurel Mountain Post. First of all comes the announcement that, starting with this issue, we will now publish monthly instead of quarterly – due to popular demand from our readers (and some new advertisers). This new schedule will allow us to bring you all the community news and stories that we sometimes missed due to quarterly and bi-monthly publication, as well as several different writers and more varied topics. We are also developing a Westmoreland County Guide to Homes section in conjunction with local realtors. You’ll see listings for regional properties, regular columns, and a few feature stories about historical or unique buildings. Whether you are in the market, or just curious, it’s still so much fun to look - like a local version of HGTV! All the changes are just starting to come together here, and we would like to thank our advertisers – without their financial support, there would be no magazine. Please remember these local businesses each time you go shopping. Their investment in our communities means so much in so many ways! Please join us on this journey, and consider passing along your copy of the Post to a friend or relative who has never seen it before. We also offer subscriptions to “ex-patriots” who may have moved away, but will always be a part of Western Pennsylvania . . .
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POST c/o Fairview Farm 189 Fairview Lane Derry, PA 15627 Phone: 724-539-4453 Fax: 724-558-9548 www.LaurelMountainPost.com
The Laurel Mountain Post is a an independent, monthly publication produced at Fairview Farm in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. All material printed herein is subject to copyright and permission to reproduce in any format must be obtained in writing from the publisher. This publication is registered with the US Library of Congress ISSN 2330-6629.
Cathi Gerhard, Editor & Publisher • Megan Fuller, Managing Editor Gregory Susa, Co-Publisher • Elizabeth Srsic, Art & Layout Editor Michelle Schultz, Business Manager • Jason Ament, Advertising Consultant To reach columnists, please use contact information provided at the end of each article or on website. Media: Joe Jerich, Eric Pensenstadler, Tiffany Jackson Circulation: Jason Ament, Nancy Clark, Granny Earth, Gretchen Fuller, Cathi Gerhard, Joanne Hartman, Laurie McGinnis, Victoria Mull, Bob Raho, Doug Richardson, Beverly Struble, Alice Susa, Gregory Susa, Lindsay Turchetta, Robert Williams, and Jack Wilson. Publisher cannot and does not guarantee the accuracy of the matter represented in the advertisements herein published. Please contact the advertiser to verify details.
Every Story Begins At Home.
September 2013 - 1
If you entertained any doubt that a trait such as musical ability is contained a person’s DNA or “runs in the family” this should convince you otherwise. A query sent to the Derry Area Historical Society’s family research library from a “fan” of Sarah Armstrong led to our rediscovery of Derry’s most prolific song writer of the past and to the recognition that her musical talent lives on in members of the Gray Family.
professor Dr. Samuel Preston Bayard who captured the Grays’ music in his 1944 work, Hill Country Tunes – Instrumental Folk Music of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Bayard wrote, “(the Grays) absorbed and preserved the local tradition in which they grew up.”1 Bayard’s interview of the 60year old housewife, Mrs. Sadie Armstrong, at her Kingston Cutoff home, resulted in the recording, on paper, of a large number of songs played by
Tunes of Gray
Derry’s Own Sarah Gray Armstrong and the Gray Boys by John Matviya President Derry Area Historical Society
Photo 1 – Another Gray Family of musicians was headed by Davis Gray (seated with violin) with his daughters and sons, first-cousins of Sarah Gray Armstrong.
Miss Sarah Elizabeth Gray was born in Gray Station in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, PA, on March 18, 1883. Her father was Charles H. Gray, a grandson of Israel and Rebecca Gray, the Ulster-Irish immigrant ancestors of the Gray family of that place. Like her father and his brothers, Sarah was very talented musically and can be credited with memorializing the traditional folk music that her family played in 19th century Derry Township. It was Penn State University 2 - September 2013
Sadie and other members of the Gray family, the major contribution to his book. In his “Notes on the Players” Bayard wrote, “In the previous generation of the family were five brothers: Charley (Mrs. Armstrong’s father), Laney, Dan, Joss (Joshua) and Abe, all skillful on some instrument, and accustomed to playing together for dances.” Bayard continued, “All of these men are now gone, and Mrs. Armstrong, who began playing at the age of five, is the sole legatee of their melodic treasure. As a young girl she LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
You can hear this tune played at: www.LaurelMountainPost.com
used to listen by the hour to her uncle Laney – the most expert fiddler of the group, and the one possessing the largest repertory of tunes – absorbing his music and learning to play it herself. She also use to play cello, on which she would help the group out when they were playing in the pavilion at ‘Kist’s Grove’ (a dancing ground on the outskirts of Derry), and elsewhere in the neighborhood.” About 1910 Laney Gray went to live in the Far West and the “Gray Boys” ensemble broke up, although they individually continued to play for dances throughout the area. Sarah, who married Charles Armstrong in 1899, “with the assistance of her daughter at the piano and her son on the guitar or banjo, has likewise continued playing the old music, either for dances, or on an occasional radio or theater program” wrote Professor Bayard. If he had done more research in the Derry area – and hung around another 70 years – he would have found that the love of playing music was not limited to the members of the Gray family he listed above. In her book, Community Express, Eleanor Thomas made several notes of this fact in her section on Gray Station. In Notes from the Past: “Dances were held at the Grays. Lena Gray would play the piano, or organ, and Davie would play the fiddle. What good times they were! Dance until early morning.” This would appear to refer to Davis Gray (1847-1923) and his daughter, Lena, born in 1879. Davis was a son of Israel Gray, Sarah’s grandfather, and his first wife, Eliza Bush. Later, Joseph William Gray (1898-1965), a son of Joseph Sr. of an uncertain relationship to Israel, acquired the Gray Homestead that was built by Israel’s brother, John. Eleanor Thomas noted: “He lived in the Gray homestead for many years. Every Story Begins At Home.
He was not married. He was a very likable man and loved to hold dances and have fun at his place on Saturday nights. People from around the community would attend the dances.” As for his father, “Joseph Gray would take a piece of wood to make a ukulele, using fence wire for the strings.” 2 As a result of Dr. Bayard’s transcriptions of traditional American Dance music of the 1800s, fiddlers of today attempt to recreate the techniques and melodies of the past. One song, called “Old Reel” in Bayard’s book is now known as “Sarah Armstrong’s Tune” after the Derry native who played it for Bayard. This song can be heard on “You Tube” and on recordings such as Todd Clewell’s CD, “Sarah Armstrong’s Tunes” containing 27 of her compositions, and available at www.toddclewell.com/ sarah.html. 1 2
Mrs. Sarah Gray Armstrong
Bayard, Samuel Preston. Hill County Tunes. American Folk Lore Society. Philadelphia. 1944. Thomas, Eleanor. Community Express. Laurel Group Press. Scottdale. 1990.
The New Gray Boys Alan & Gary: Two Brothers, Two Best Friends , Bound Together by Music by Debbie Gray “In the previous generation of the family were five brothers: Charley (Mrs. Armstrong’s father), Laney, Dan, Joss (Joshua) and Abe, all skillful on some instrument, and accustomed to playing together for dances. … All of these men are now gone, and Mrs. Armstrong, who began playing at the age of five, is the sole legatee of their melodic treasure. As a young girl she used to listen by the hour to her uncle Laney – the most expert fiddler of the group, and the one possessing the largest repertory of tunes – absorbing his music and learning to play it herself. She also use to play cello, on which she would help the group out when they were playing in the pavilion at “Kist’s Grove” (a dancing ground on the outskirts of Derry), and elsewhere in the neighborhood.” About 1910 Laney Gray went to live in the Far West and the “Gray Boys” ensemble broke up, although they individually continued to play for dances throughout the area.”
When Alan and Gary’s musical careers began as fourth graders, both vocally and instrumentally, who would have ever guessed that music would prove to be a “gift” for them both as they both excel as trombonists. Both Alan and Gary participated in concert band and Show Choir at the elementary level as well as concert, jazz band and ensemble in
middle school. Alan and Gary were both selected to represent Derry Area Middle School at the county, district and collegiate level consecutively during grades 6 through 8. Alan and Gary both competitively auditioned for Seton Hill’s Youth Honor Concert Band and subsequently participated continued on page 4 September 2013 - 3
continued from page 3
with the Westmoreland Symphonic Winds Orchestra. Gary further audi-tioned and was selected to play in the Seton Hill Youth Honor Jazz Band as an eighth grader. Alan and Gary also participated in County and District Chorus during the course of their middle school career grades 6 through 8. Gary was recognized and awarded with a Principals Award at his eighth grade award ceremony for his vocal and instrumental achievements, nominated by his chorus and band teacher. As a high school student Alan’s gift of music was apparent and con-tinued to flourish. Alan was selected to represent Derry Area High School all four years at the county and district level, ultimately advancing to the region level while fulfilling his dream at the Pennsylvania All-State level. In the meantime, Alan was selected to participate in the IUP Honors Band as well as the Pennsylvania Music Educators District I Honors Band. Not missing a beat, Alan participated in Marching Band, Pep Band, and Pit Band when he was not busy with choir, ensemble, musicals, soccer, trombone lessons, ranking as an Eagle Scout, school organizations, scholastic achievements, volunteering, and work. Alan enjoys playing his acoustic guitar for leisure. Two weeks after graduation Alan was recruited to be a member of the Derry Area Alumni Brass Band and participated at a concert at the Amphitheater. Alan has been called upon many times
4 - September 2013
The New Gray Boys: Gary (left) and Alan (right) Gray.
to play his trombone in community-based orchestras, ensembles and quartets. Alan was recognized as Music Student of the Quarter as a junior and senior and received the Director’s Award at his senior concert band concert in recognition of his outstanding musicianship and leadership skills. Alan was the recipient of the prestigious Arion Award at his senior chorus concert, an award that is awarded to a choral student selected by his peers who they deem as a vocalist has demon-strated outstanding musical achieve-ment. Alan has received numerous medals, trophies, certificates and plaques as keepsakes for his musical accomplishments and achievements. Prior to budget cuts in education, Alan wanted to pursue a degree in Music Education. Alan will continue his musical career at St. Vincent College as a member of the St. Vincent College Bearcat marching band while searching for more musical opportunities. Following in his big brother’s footsteps and determined to make a name for himself, Gary will begin his high school career as a member of the Derry Area High School Marching Band. Gary also plans to participate in concert band, jazz band, choir, ensemble, and musicals while preparing to audition for PMEA Honors Band, county, district and region band in pursuit of acquiring a PA All-State Concert Band medal to add to his collection of existing medals and certificates. Gary is in the process of preparing to rank as an Eagle Scout, play soccer, and he is excited to think of what the next four years has in store for him musically. Was it irony that Gary set out to be a fiddle player at the age of eight (prior to the onset of an unexpected illness) or coincidence based on recent genealogy discovery? Alan and Gary are doubly blessed having the voice of music ever present on both sides of the family. As per Alan and Gary, “Music is Life. Life Is a Song. Music is the Reflection of Yourself.” LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
The Derry Area Historical Society The current organization of the D.A.H.S. was founded in 1996 for the purpose of preserving the one-room school houses and other historic structures throughout the area, that was to include the township of Derry, the boroughs of New Alexandria and Derry and the adjacent surroundings. The mission of the D.A.H.S. grew to include genealogy and local history: “The Mission of the Derry Area Historical Society is to encourage the appreciation and preservation of local history, genealogy and historic architecture while building strong partnerships with other organizations and groups that will strengthen our community.” The DAHS is headquartered at the Historic 1817 Fulton House Inn and Tavern, 357 Pittsburgh Street, New Derry, Westmoreland County, PA. The log structure was built by the Fulton family about 1817 and was operated as a drovers’ inn and public tavern by James Fulton. The house was in continuous occupation until about 1990. One of the first projects of the historical society upon purchasing the house and grounds in 1997 was to restore it to its original condition except for adding the modern necessities of running water and central heating and AC. The first floor includes a kitchen/gift shop with the original, but not operational, “cooking” fireplace and the “Great Room” is decorated as an early 19th century tavern with an 1885 Derry-area stone fireplace added. The second floor includes two exhibit rooms, one in the fashion of a bedroom and the second used for showing local history memorabilia. The grounds of the Fulton House includes two out-buildings, a two story barn and an operating blacksmith shop, both constructed of logs that were rescued and restored from area buildings scheduled for demolition. The Society holds several annual events on the grounds of the Fulton House, including the “Home Opener” on the first Sunday in May; the “Midsummer Night’s Ice Cream Social” in late June; “Lammas Day Festival & Corn Roast” the 2nd Sunday in August; and an “Old Fashioned Christmas” in early December. Also, on Monday, December 9th, DAHS will sponsor the annual “Christmas Sing-Along” at the Old Salem Church on Route 982 north of New Derry. A new event this fall, on September 22nd as part of the Derry Railroad Days Festival, the Society is sponsoring Todd Clewell’s Keystone Rebels in a tribute to Sarah Gray Armstrong and her music and introducing the New Gray Boys. Genealogy and family history research plays a major role in the Society’s mission. The Derry Area Family Research Center is located inside the New Alexandria Public Library and opened during library hours (afternoons Monday through Thursday plus Saturday mornings – check with the library for exact hours; 724-668-7747) Research queries are received by mail at P.O. Box 64 New Derry, PA 15671 OR via email at research@derryhistory. hypermart.net. More information: 724-694-6608 or www.derryhistory.org.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Notes About
Sarah Gray Armstrong When she died in 1957 at the age of 74, few people near her Kingston cut-off home and throughout the Derry community noted the passing of Mrs. Sarah Armstrong and fewer yet remembered the joy she once brought to the community with her music. No one could have imagined that 50 years after her death, “Sarah Armstrong’s Tune” would be heard throughout the world on You Tube. Sarah Elizabeth Gray, born March 18, 1883, was the oldest child of Charles and Julie Gray of Gray Station, a small village along the Pennsylvania rail line in Derry Township, Westmoreland County. Charles was one of 5 sons of Israel and Sarah Boyer Gray, all born between 1859 and 1867. The five also included Laney, Dan, Joss and Abe. They had an additional 6 older half-brothers and one half-sister, born to Israel and Liza Bush Gray from 1834 to 1853. Large families were common for the Grays of Derry Township. And so was music. Samuel Preston Bayard, of the American Folklore Society, was also a music teacher at Penn State University. Interested in the rich folklore traditions of western Pennsylvania, on November 5, 1943, Bayard found his way to the Derry home of Mrs. Sarah (Gray) Armstrong, at the top of the Kingston Cut-Off. After explaining his interests, Mrs. Armstrong picked up her old fiddle and began to play. Bayard transcribed to paper four tunes that day. He must have been impressed because thirteen days later on November 18 he returned and transcribed thirty-three more tunes! These thirty-seven tunes would make Mrs. Armstrong the principal contributor to his book “Hill Country Tunes” published in 1944. Although Professor Bayard mentions the presence of a “recording apparatus” in the Armstrong home, there are no known recordings of her playing. If any descendants have these recordings, please contact the Derry Area Historical Society. Many of Sarah Armstrong’s tunes have been recorded by a modern-day fiddler, Todd Clewell of Felton, in central Pennsylvania. Todd wrote in the liner notes to his CD, “In June of 2002 I attended an old-time fiddler’s festival in Elk Creek, Virginia. We were jamming on the front porch …. Ellen Vigour played a tune that really caught my ear. She called it “Sarah Armstrong’s Tune”. The name stuck with me and I realized that I actually had a book called “Hill Country Tunes,” with more of Sarah Armstrong’s tunes in it. I learned a few, and then a few more, and before I knew it I was hooked. Over the last two years I have learned and recorded twenty-seven of Sarah Armstrong’s tunes.” “Sarah Armstrong’s Tune”, called “Old Reel” by Sarah herself, along with an additional 24 of her songs, are recorded on Todd’s compact disk, Sarah Armstrong’s Tunes, that can be ordered at: http:// www.toddclewell.com/sarah.html or purchased through the Derry Area Historical Society.
September 2013 - 5
MEMORY LANE by Ruthie Richardson
A Low-Tech Girl in a High-Tech World Imagine any teenager you know wantWhen I was very young, in the of our neighbor’s chats. My mom was ing to chat with a friend and having to early 1950’s, there was even less prinot pleased, and I was in trouble. This try again later because they got a busy vacy, for everyone in the entire neighjust wasn’t done. signal. Do you think they even know borhood, since the only telephone I remember later, in our high what a busy signal is? And my definition services available were party lines. school years, my ornery brother, of the word ‘chatting’ has no bearing How can it be that I remember our Keith, getting the busy signal while on today’s definition of it. Next, imaoriginal, four-digit number? It was trying to organize a party. Being the gine a teenager’s phone ringing and 4562. And just for clarification for impatient guy he was, of course he them having to actually answer it to any younger readers, a party line was would dial O. After she (and it was see who was calling. a telephone line you shared with always a she) answered, “Operator!” I can remember sitting he would give her the numon the couch in my living ber he was calling and tell room back in little old West her it was an emergency Derry and dialing the OXand could she please break bow exchange of one of my in on the call to tell them girlfriends so we could gossomeone was urgently trying sip about the latest scoop of to get through to them. The the day. My finger would operator always cheerfully rotate that dial, one number complied, and Mr. Liar Liar at a time, and I would hear Pants On Fire could comthat click, click, click sound plete his party plans. This as the dial slowly returned was another infraction we to it’s place awaiting the would have gotten into next number. If I close my trouble for, but mom never eyes, I can still see our old found out about it. I also steel, five-pound phone sitremember my friend, Cherting on it’s starched, croie, being limited to fiveHere are my friends and me having 'facetime'. Wii was just 'we' back then, chatting with each other, by using our voices. cheted doily on the telepminute conversations durNotice our old phone on it's stand and the television is OFF. hone stand in our living room. ing the periods her dad was I can also clearly remember waiting to get called into the ‘beep-beep-beep’ on the other three or four of your neighbors. Each work. He was an engineer for the end of the line if someone at my neighbor was assigned a ring serailroad, and didn’t always know his friend’s house was already talking on quence, one long and one short ring, schedule. Big trouble for her if they the phone – the dreaded busy signal. or two short ones, or one long ring. tried to call and we were gabbing How tired my pointer finger would There was a whole series that old Ma aimlessly for hours and he missed a get from dialing, and dialing and Bell would assign to customers, and shift. dialing those numbers, trying to get when someone called your number I can barely remember what it through. There was no ‘redial’ button, and your sequence rang, it rang in was like to go to the store or out to it was do it yourself. And if she did every other household in your party dinner and being totally incommunianswer, there would be much whisperas well. And there was nothing to stop cado. If you were away from the ing, along with all the giggles since any of the other folks from picking up house, that was it, no one could reach there was no privacy to be found durtheir phones and listening in on your you. Imagine that! After Doug and I ing anyone’s phone calls in our living conversations. I know this because were married and got a baby sitter room. It’s where we all gathered every when I was a little tyke my mom for our little Nicole, we would leave night, and there was only one phone in caught me sitting silently in the living the number where we could be reached, our house, just like everyone else’s. room paying close attention to one in case of emergency. And as for any 6 - September 2013
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
continued on page 8
Every Story Begins At Home.
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calls we may have missed while we were out, that’s just what they were – missed. There were no answering machines and no voice mail. If you didn’t want to be disturbed at home, you just took the phone off the hook. Caller I.D.? We identified the caller on the other end of the line by saying hello and waiting to see if we recognized the voice. The only call waiting was the line we stood in, waiting to use the phone booth. Lately I have been thinking about today’s kids’ leisure activities and comparing it with what passed for fun when I was a kid. Our playtime as children revolved around our imaginations. Today, not so much. I see kids sitting on the couch now, lined up in a row and mesmerized by some little device or another, their thumbs twitching madly. The only time you could find us on the couch was when we were sick. I was always a reader, but even that activity had my mom scolding me that it was time to get my nose out of my book and go outside and play. We were always sent outside to find our own fun and to entertain ourselves, summer and winter. Our summers revolved around bike riding, and glorious adventures involving cowboys and Indians, cops and robbers, pirate ships and haunted forests. We would play house, build little towns in the sand pile, play ball in the open fields, and put on ‘shows.’ In the winter we would sled ride, and build igloos and snowmen. We had board games and dolls and trucks for wintertime fun, too, and coloring books and cut out dolls. Many of today’s kids aren’t impressed unless the toy has a flashing panoramic electronic, 3D screen, or a joystick that interacts with them. We had to interact with each other. Telephones weren’t the only technology-challenged aspects of our lives in the good old days. Take television for instance, and some days I wish someone would just take mine, but I digress. We had three channels; all black and white and all of them signed off the air at midnight with a little movie of Old Glory waving in the
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September 2013 - 7
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breeze accompanied by the National Anthem. The only thing you could watch after that was snow until morning when you were greeted by the Conelrad logo. Most times the picture wasn’t very good, but there were several adjustment dials on the television itself that could slightly improve the picture: the horizontal, the vertical, the contrast, and the brightness. But we were forbidden to touch those; only daddy could adjust the TV. There was no ‘family’ hour viewing, either. No television executive was in charge of reviewing programing during the early evening hours to keep it ‘clean’; it was all family hour, all the time. There were no swear words, no revealing outfits, and no ‘adult content.’ For example, tele-
My mom and dad had a big old radio/wire recorder in the living room and mom had that radio on all the time. I can still hear her singing along to ‘Sugartime’ by the McGuire Sisters, or ‘Hot Diggity Dog Diggity Boom What You Do To Me’, by Perry Como, as she prepared some yummy dish in her little kitchen. I also remember Daddy telling us stories about his childhood, before television had even been invented, and how he would sit on the floor in front of the radio listening to Amos and Andy, Fibber Magee and Molly, and how “The Shadow” knew. Our music came to us in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s by way of our transistor radios. I got mine as a Christmas present one year. It had a little earphone connected to the radio by a wire. I would secretly listen to Dick
My brother Keith, and me, chased off the couch again and enjoying the original virtual playtime!
vision programs only showed twin beds. Folks were never shown in the same bed, even if they were married! I’m not hesitant to use the word ‘wholesome’ because that’s exactly what it was, and I think we were all better for it. And as for cable, in those days the cable was the wire running from the antenna on the roof down to the tenna rotor, if you were lucky enough to have one. When you turned the tenna rotor’s dial on top of the T.V. it would rotate the antenna to bring in a clearer picture. 8 - September 2013
Biondi on WLS out of Chicago and Cousin Brucie on WABC from New York in my room late at night before I went to sleep. From Perry Como to the Isley Brothers, the lyrics were squeaky clean. During the 1960’s, some of Porky Chedwick’s stuff on WAMO contained some sexual innuendo, but most of us never got the connection. Poor Lou Christy had to redo his hit “Rhapsody in the Rain” because the original lyrics were ‘we were makin’ out in the rain.’ This was considered scandalous at the time and the second release changed that lyric
to ‘we fell in love in the rain.’ I am glad that between the deafening decibels of today’s music and my gradual hearing loss I can’t really tell what they are singing about. I made the mistake of Googling song lyrics for several of the rap hits today and almost fainted as I read what those kids were saying. If you haven’t researched this, my advice is DON’T! I never thought I would be wishing for the old days where there was at least a modicum of censorship, but GEEZ, my ears were practically bleeding from the filth! Google. There is another word we never heard of. It’s our new online Webster’s dictionary that has become a verb. I guess when we have to look something up we are just too tired or busy to turn the pages in an actual book. When we wanted to research something in the good old days, we would look it up the old Funk and Wagnall’s or get ourselves to the library. The only thing at our fingertips was the Dewey Decimal System and Miss Verlato (the school librarian’s) patience. When it came time to do our term papers there was lots of legwork involved. The only good thing about that was that it was easy to borrow the car from my parents if I said I had to go to the library. A little after-library cruise through St. Vincent and Eat ‘N Park never hurt, either, and what daddy didn’t know would never hurt him. Another innovation - my little digital camera, I love it. And who would ever have imagined that you could take pictures with your PHONE? I don’t even think Captain Kirk had that technology! Snap, review, delete, snap again, download and print, all in a matter of an hour or so. I am so used to it I can barely remember what taking pictures used to be like. But I still have my dad’s old Brownie Box camera to remind me. Doug and I had a Kodak Instamatic camera, too. It used a film cartridge and flashcubes that would turn automatically to give you four flashes before you had to pop on a new one. The film came in 127 or 35mm and when we used up the 12, 24, or 36 exposures we would run the exposed film cartridge down to Kasperik’s LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Pharmacy or Tragos’s Store and have them send it away for development, and the wait was on. You could usually get your photos back in 10 days to 2 weeks. Imagine telling today’s kids they had to wait 2 weeks to see their photos. Later on we got a Polaroid Land Camera and could develop our pictures instantly. They were little, curled up photos that were usually streaked because you had to rub some sort of chemical over them with a sponge that came with the film. We have become so dependent of today’s ‘conveniences’, like the ATM machine and automatic deposits that sometimes we don’t even carry any cash at all. In the olden days if you forgot to go to the bank for cash you had two choices: stay home or run down to your mom’s and borrow a 10-spot. Cash was king; we had no credit or debit cards. If you wanted to buy something, it was cash on the barrelhead. If you planned on eating in a restaurant, you better have had some folding money in your wallet or you would be washing dishes. When Doug and I first got married we opened a Sears Revolving Charge, but that was it. I had heard about the Diners Club Card, but we didn’t know anyone who had one. I guess there was the American Express card back then, too, but we were sure that only James Bond had one of those.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Computers . . . they have invaded every facet of our lives. Back in my day (I can’t believe that statement comes out of my mouth so often), we didn’t have such contraptions. Boys could work on their own cars without hooking up the engine to a $100,000 diagnostic tool. And our cars didn’t come with full Dolby stereo systems and 10 speakers. The only thing available was an AM radio, and that was an add-on accessory you had to order separately from the factory at an additional cost. My laptop was at my Grandma Stewart’s house, and I would climb onto it while she told me stories. Bytes? Those were what mom put a baking soda paste on to stop the itching. And RAM was the big sheep at the farm that you better not turn your back on. Yes, I embrace my old fuddy-duddiness. My daughter rolls her eyes at me and tsk tsk’s when she tries to teach me the latest upgrades. No matter how much urging from her telling me everything I am missing, I think I will just keep my old ‘dumb’ phone and hope for the best, and I think I will leave it in the car next time we eat out. It’s fun to hide out and be incommunicado sometimes; makes the kids perk up and pay attention. OK, I admit that I have to laugh at my grumblings as I type this story using the Word program on my laptop, click spellcheck/grammar one
Ruthie, going old-school.
last time, scan my photos and email it all to Cathi, my editor. If I made a movie of my life, I guess I could call it, “Dr. Strenge-tech, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Ignore the Geeks.” Maybe technology is not ALL that bad, but at least when the grid finally goes down, I can continue to write my stories. I will type them on my portable, manual Smith Corona typewriter . . . it’s still in the attic. ***** Ruthie grew up in an idyllic and magical place – a 1950's childhood, and she loves to share these memories with you. Stay in touch: email her at: Ruth-Elaine@comcast.net, look for her on Facebook, or join our LMP online community to read her new blog!
September 2013 - 9
ASK GRANNY EARTH Healing with Weeds
That Weed, Goldenrod – Is It Good for Anything? Goldenrod is a perennial herb, found along roadsides and in open fields. It has single woody stems that grows up to 3-7 feet tall. Its yellow flowers appear in August and September and can be seen along roadsides, as a profusion of yellow. The flowers are only about ¼ inch wide but grow in large clusters so that is appears that the whole plant is one big yellow flower. The parts used for medicinal purposes are leaves and flowers- very easy to collect and dry.
poultices? Check out my book- Do It Yourself Weed Medicine (Page 163). Goldenrod not only helps reduce inflammation, relieve muscle spasms and lower blood pressure, but can also be used for urinary tract infections and kidney stones. She’s such a good all-round healer because of the Anticatarrhal (eliminates mucus), Anti-inflammatory, Astringent, Carminative (relieves intestinal gas) and Diaphoretic (elimination of fluids) properties. As far as ‘allergies’ (lots of folks think they have this) because of Golden Rod–but, it’s Ragweed that’s the cause, a totally different weed. Goldenrod does not cause hay fever – her pollen grains are much heavier than those of Ragweed. This heaviness causes it to be carried by insects, rather than through the air, as in Ragweed. Looking for a good book about natural ‘Healing Weeds’? Check out- Do It Yourself Weed Medicine, you won’t regret it!
www.grannyearth.com
Nature Healing works . . . IT always has! Granny Earth, N.D. went back to school at the age of 56- got her Associate’s, Bachelor’s and then a PhD In Natural Healthat age 64. This dedication to natural healing has served to help not only herself and her family, but many, many friends and clients, as well! Nature Heals–we can all learn–It’s never too late! Check out Granny Earth’s (YESThat’s her ‘legal name’) info, articles and website. www.grannyearth.com grannyearth@zoominternet.net Phone- 724-542-9713 Granny’s monthly Natural Health Newsletter- ‘CONNECTIONS’ is available via- Snail-Mail. 12 pages- All good stuff! $25.00 a year (12 issues).
This information is not intended to substitute for medical advice regarding diagnosis, or treatment of physical, mental, or emotional problems. The author and publisher deny any responsibility in case of adversity. You are encouraged to seek advice from your health care professional.- Granny Earth, N.D.
When a particular weed’s growing abundantly, Mother Nature is trying to tell us something. In the case of Goldenrod, her medicinal properties are many! Golden Rod has been used in European medicine to treat all types of skinwounds topically. In traditional folk medicine it’s used to treat inflammations of the mouth and throat as well as all ‘slow-healing’ wounds. One would want to make a poultice of the herb and apply it directly to the wound. Don’t know how to make 10 - September 2013
***** Seventy-some years young, and following my lifelong passion, which is natural healing and teaching others about weed medicine, I believe that we each must do what we can to get back to Nature. In making your own weed medicine, you’re going to be going out looking and identifying certain weeds that grow around you- you’ll be outdoors, in the sunshine and fresh air- getting back to Nature. Maybe you’ll start growing your own weeds- turning your backyard into a weed garden! Granny Earth has a bachelor’s in Psychology from California University of Pennsylvania (which she earned at age 59), and both a masters and doctorate from Clayton College of Natural Health. Visit her website www.grannyearth.com, call 724542-9713, or email grannyearth@zoominternet.net.
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September 2013 - 11
Flax Scutching Festival Scrapbook
Buckwheat Cake Kitchen
Teaching About Flax
Deomstrating the Loom
Removing the Seeds
12 - September 2013
Potter
Pulled Flax
Celebrate the 106th Annual Flax Scutching Festival September 14 & 15 Stahlstown, Pennsylvania
Indian Raid
Using the Breaker
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Ligonier Valley Writers to Hold Annual Picnic and Readings: Be Part of the Entertainment Ligonier Valley Writers will hold its annual picnic on Sunday, September 15, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s of the Valley Church in Rector. The event is free for LVW members and $5 for nonmembers. Bring a covered dish or dessert if you like (although it’s not required). Join us for good food and good conversation in the scenic Laurel Highlands. Both LVW members and nonmembers are welcome to read from their own writing after dinner. You’ll also have a chance to win raffle prizes. Copies of the 2013 edition of The Loyalhanna Review, LVW’s literary magazine, will be available free of charge. The magazine features top-quality essays, short stories, and poems, as well as photos and fine art. Among the offerings are Joe Potts's humorous contemplation of "Standing in a Bank Line as a Metaphor for Life" and Janet Sady's poem "Birthing a Book." St. Michael's is located at 2535 Route 381 in Rector (Ligonier Township): (724) 238-9411. Ligonier Valley Writers has been serving writers and readers throughout western Pennsylvania since 1986. For more about LVW events, publications, and writing contests, please visit www.LVWonline.org.
Deadline for the October Issue of the
Laurel Mountain Post is Friday, September 15 at 4:00 pm.
Every Story Begins At Home.
September 2013 - 13
Roll Out the Barrels by Patrick Thomas As summer slowly begins to fade away, we see the leaves beginning to change colors, the temperatures dropping and that can only mean one thing; fall seasonal beers are here! The history behind pumpkin beers (or at least what has been recorded) dates the whole way back to early colonial times, when the only “master brewers” were that of a Pilgrim descent. The primary motivations behind pumpkin beer arose from the decision to brew beer with cheaper, local products (such as pumpkin and squash) and lessening the burdens of expensive pricing on imported malts. What we find in today’s pumpkin beers are a wide-range of ingredients including real pumpkin, imitation pumpkin flavors, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, nutmeg and caramel. While I attempt to group these fall seasonal beers into one category, let it be known that all of these beers have significant differences. As you begin to embark on your flavorfully festive beer journey, you may notice vast differences in attributes such as alcohol content (average content is 5.0-7.0%), amount of hops, abundance of spices, color of the beer’s body and the strength of the aroma. Given the background information that I mentioned above, I wanted to share my opinion of ten fall seasonal beers to try during the next coming months. Before I jump into my list, I also wanted to share a few tips to make your experiences with each beer more enjoyable. First, pumpkin beers pair great with a variety of foods including turkey, sweet potatoes, zucchini bread and (my favorite) bratwurst with sauerkraut. If you are unsure about which foods to pair these tasty treats with, a great base to work off of is to aim for foods with fall flavor, that can properly balance the pumpkin spices without “stealing the show.” Secondly, for you experienced drinkers (there’s no need to be shy), try adding a shot of whipped cream or vanilla vodka once opening/pouring your pumpkin beer. Also, try lining the rim of your bottle, glass or growler with either cinnamon, brown sugar or both. These additional flavors not only please the taste buds, but are also guaranteed to put a smile on your face! 14 - September 2013
Third, the ingredients, spices and aromas within these beers are highly preferred to be served at 45 to 50 degrees. Within this temperature range, the smell will be stronger and the taste is considered to be the most flavorful. Although this is the preferred temperature, there have been known cases where people prefer either ice-cold or room-temperature. My advice would be to test each scenario and see which you prefer.
ever the Punkin Ale hits the taste buds with a refreshing pumpkin flavor with a lesser “hoppy” taste. The Punkin Ale is viewed as a fall favorite, scoring one of the highest review averages with the professionals at BeerAdvocate. One final note, the Punkin Ale is also known for its distinct potency. While the aroma of the beer favors the mild side, the close similarity to pumpkin pie is a trait that the majority of pumpkin-flavored beers lack (so, don’t forget to take a whiff). Enjoy! 2 . Pumking, Southern Tier Brewing Company. ABV: 8.60%. Key Ingred-ient(s): pumpkin, caramel malt, vanilla, pie crust. Description: Southern Tier’s Pumking is back again this year and beer drinkers anticipate the brewery to release more cases of its Pumking than ever before! This fall seasonal is known for its above-average sweetness, which is mostly credited to the caramel malts and vanilla flavoring. In addition to the flavor itself, Pumking also offers a benefit to its drinkers with the beer’s aroma, which emits the smell of pumpkin pie with a buttery, pecan crust. The Pumking Ale is not for the mild beer drinker, expect this beer to deliver a strong, full-flavored taste (which of course is necessary due to the high alcohol content). If your mouth has started to water, have no worries because Southern Tier began releasing cases and kegs of its Pumking Ale in late-July.
Finally, this list was compiled based off of my personal experiences, professional reviews and also, with the detailed help from a local beer distributor, Pittsburgh Street Beverage. But without further ado, I present to each of you my top ten list of seasonal beers to try this fall: 1 .Punkin Ale, Dogfish Head Brewery ABV: 7.00%. Key Ingredient(s): pumpkin, organic brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Description: As most avid beer drinkers know, Dogfish Head is known for brewing its beers on the extreme side with a plethora of hops and unique ingredients (i.e. pressurized orange peels and espresso beans), how-
3 . Yuengling Oktoberfest, Yuengling Brewery. ABV: N/A. Key Ingredient(s): caramel. Description: America’s oldest brewery and a Pennsylvania favorite will return again this year with their nearly-infant version of an Oktoberfest (or MÓrzen). After sorting through countless numbers of reviews online, it seems that Pennsylvanians favor the Yuengling Oktoberfest (which I am sure is surprising). With a hint of caramel and an aboveaverage level of carbonation, Yuengling enters its third year of Oktoberfest. This beer also has an enjoyable creamy, white head that goes down smoother than your average Oktoberfest offerings.An additional note for the Oktoberfest lovers, this mild version of an Oktoberfest beer has a weaker flavor yet that Yuengling touch that everyone LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
enjoys. A word of advice for you Yuengling drinkers; when you get the chance, get your hands on a case of the Oktoberfest because they sell quickly! 4 . Blue Moon Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale, Coors Brewing Company. ABV: 5.70%. Key Ingredient(s): vine-ripened pumpkin, wheat, clove flavoring. Description: Blue Moon provides customers with a drier version of a pumpkin-flavored beer, which results from lesser pumpkin spices and the slight wheat base. Crafted since 1995 (during a time which Oktoberfest beers were high in demand), the Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale combines the strong flavors from Oktoberfest beers with the delight-fulness of seasonal pumpkin flavoring. The Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale “hits it right on the nose” with a spicy, caramel aroma and a hint of gingersnaps. This fall seasonal also has a lack of hops to it, which is not only expected from a larger brewing company but also ideal for non-beer drinkers at holiday gatherings. 5. Samuel Adams Octoberfest, Boston Beer Company. ABV: 5.30%. Key Ingredient(s): Bavarian Noble hops (for slight bitterness), caramel, toffee, barley. Description: As always, Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides another seasonal favorite with a milder version of an Oktoberfest beer. This beverage is actually considered an amber lager, which is not far from the traditional Boston Lager that many have known and loved. The beer provides a mild sweetness, but also provides the signature hoppy combination that people love about Samuel Adams. In my opinion, the quality that Samuel Adams provides for the price that each case is sold for is nearly a steal, offering customers flavorful yet hoppy taste for a great price. Similar to the Blue Moon Harvest Moon, Samuel Adams Octoberfest is also favored by many non-beer drinkers and is a great choice for holiday gatherings. 6 . The Great Pumpkin, Elysian Brewing Company. ABV: 8.10%. Key Ingredient(s): pumpkin, roasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. Description: Elysian Brewing Company, out of Seattle, WA, brings their Great Pumpkin seasonal beer to the table this year. According to Beer Advocate.com, The Great Pumpkin has one of the highest ratings of all pumpkin beers (hitting the rank of “outstanding”). If you are looking for a beer that packs a mean punch this fall, the Great Pumpkin’s alcohol-by-volume content is well above the average at 8.10%. However, do not let the high ABV fool Every Story Begins At Home.
you, the Great Pumpkin offers an intense pumpkin flavor with heavy flavorings of dark caramel, moderate cinnamon and a hint of brown sugar. This seasonal brew is also recognized for its heavy aroma, and it is one of the most potent pumpkin beers out there (in my opinion). With such a high alcohol content, yet heavy spices and flavoring, the Great Pumpkin is very drinkable with a fairly smooth finish. Expect some dryness at the end of each sip, but not enough to scare away the craft beer rookies. 7 . Saranac Pumpkin Ale, Matt Brewing Company. ABV: 5.40%. Key Ingredient(s): vanilla, cloves. Description: May I have the attention of the light, tastier beer drinkers? This seasonal beer is for you! For starters, not many professional beer critics favor this pumpkin beer as much, but in my opinion I have noticed that Saranac Pumpkin Ale has a great appeal to those who enjoy a tastier beverage (as compared to a stronger alcohol taste). This fall seasonal offers a very slight dryness, paired with a pleasant aroma comparable to pumpkin pie with a cinnamon finish. Perhaps the biggest benefit that Saranac delivers with their Pumpkin Ale is the cost efficiency component of the beer. Saranac Pumpkin Ale is among one of the cheapest fall seasonals available and comes highly recommended for the “beer bargain shoppers.” 8. Post Road Pumpkin Ale, Brooklyn Brewery. ABV: 5.00%. Key Ingredient(s): pumpkin, barley malt, nutmeg, wheat. Description: The Brooklyn Brewery gives their drinkers another beer to rant and rave about with the Post Road Pumpkin Ale. For starters, expect this pumpkin seasonal to be heavily spiced with a slight hint of hops, offering a taste dominated by pumpkin, cloves and a sweet caramel finish. Although Brooklyn’s Post Road has below-average alcohol content, the heavy abundance of spices and a slightly dry finish shows much resemblance to the typical Brooklyn style of beer. Another unique attribute is the strong aroma of Post Road Pumpkin Ale, so don’t forget to take in the scent of the biscuity malts and faint cinnamon! From the perspective of the beer experts, the “tasty tradition” that Brooklyn Brewery offers is always worth at least a taste test, so drink up! 9 . Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, Shipyard Brewing Company. ABV: 4.70%. Key Ingredient(s): pumpkin spices, cinnamon, nutmeg. Descrition: If breweries were to create a light pumpkin beer, I think it would be very close to the Shipyard Pumpkin-head Ale,
brewed by Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. The mild pumpkin taste is attributed to Shipyard’s addition of pumpkin spices (opposed to actual pumpkin) within this fall seasonal. Contrary to the majority of the available pumpkin beers, Pumpkinhead Ale also has an above-average level of carbonation that you will notice as the beer head begins to sizzle. This ale (although the attributes are closer to that of a lager) will be a slightly different than your typical pumpkin beer, given the artificial spicing and over-abundance of cinnamon spicing. The aroma is fairly weak, giving off a hint of pumpkin pie smell at best. For those of you who may check review websites such as Beer Advocate.com and RateBeer.com, do not let the reviews be misleading. Shipyard offers a pumpkin ale that is comparable to a light beer, with a mild presence of pumpkin flavoring and is not too aggressive with its alcohol content. If you are a bit hesitant, definitely stop by a local six-pack shop to give this underrated fall seasonal a taste! 1 0 . Crimson Pumpkin, All Saints Brewing Company. ABV: 5.30%. Key Ingredient(s): 120 slow roasted pie pumpkins, toasty malts. Description: I wanted to take the time to recognize a local brewery located in Greensburg, All Saints Brewing Company, which has been very successful since opening their doors. They offer a fantastic version of a fall seasonal, Greensburg’s infamous Crimson Pumpkin. For starters, they use fresh (and local) pie pumpkins and combine those with a hybrid version of their most popular brew, the Crimson Halo (for those of you that have had it, I assume your mouths have started watering). This pumpkin brew goes down exceptionally smooth, with a comfortable touch of fall spicing that is certainly not over-whelming.The alcohol content sits at 5.30%, which is an average level for a pumpkin flavored beer. All Saints is open Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m., Fridays from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. That being said, I highly suggest that each of you give this place a shot because their prices are beyond reasonable, the experience is unique, and most importantly, they brew each beer with exceptional detail and care. Enjoy your growlers! I would like to personally thank my friends, Frank and Mary Mesich of Pittsburgh Street Beverage in Greensburg, for their fantastic knowledge of craft and specialty beers. Both of them were very helpful in providing detailed information on each beer, as well as going above-and-beyond to help me out not only for this column, but also as a fellow custo-
continued on page 31
September 2013 - 15
Ligonier Valley Railroad Engine House Takes on a New Life by Bob Stutzman and Carolyn Dillon, editor Most people in Ligonier Valley know the history of the building on West Main Street which has housed the Ligonier Valley School District Central Administration Office since September 2002 and before that served as the Pennsylvania Game Commission Southwest Division Headquarters from April 1957 to September 2002. Most residents of the valley also know that the building was originally built by the Ligonier Valley Rail Road (LVRR) in 1911 and served as its Ligonier Station and headquarters until 1952. What many people may not remember or may never have known is the history of the building across the street from the station, which was bought by Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1955 from the LVRR.
perty were sold off piecemeal. Most of the property between Hadley and Walnut streets on the south side of Main Street, where both the Ligonier Station and the freight depot stood, was sold to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. About the same time, Holy Trinity Catholic Church bought the engine house across Main Street from the LVRR and the six acres around it. The church’s intent was to convert the existing building into a church and school large enough to accommodate Holy Trinity’s increasing needs.
Two walls of the bay section of the engine house were removed at the beginning of the renovation project.
The three distinct sections of the LVRR engine house are visible in this photograph, taken after the tracks were removed in 1952.
This photograph taken before 1952 shows the LVRR engine house on the north side of Main Street while still in use.
Having outgrown its original small machine shop and two-bay engine house built near the Ligonier Station, the LVRR began construction of a new facility in 1920 on railroad property on the north side of Main Street. The new engine house included five bays and a two-story machine shop which housed lathes, milling machines and furnaces, used in maintaining LVRR’s railroad equipment. After the LVRR ceased operations in 1952, its buildings and pro16 - September 2013
structure, the roof and the back wall to use in the new construction. The three bays closest to Walnut Street were converted into a two-story school and the remaining two into a multi-purpose room that continues to serve as Holy Trinity Parish’s cafeteria, gymnasium and church social hall.
The photograph above of the building as it stood in 1952 when it was still owned by the LVRR clearly shows the possibility of renovating the expansive building into a multipurpose facility. This factor coupled with the acreage that surrounded the property, which offered ample room for parking and future expansion, led to Holy Trinity’s decision to purchase the property. The original LVRR structure was divided into three sections. The one on the left in the photograph below, consisting of the five bays where railroad equipment was serviced, was partially demolished by Holy Trinity. The front and side walls of this section were removed, leaving the iron super-
The taller section to the right in the picture above originally was the LVRR machine shop. This section was kept intact and converted into a space for worship. The original windows were filled in with cement blocks and new windows were installed. The interior then was totally renovated into a modern church. Holy Trinity renovated the third section of the building by also blocking in the windows and installing new ones on both the first and second floors. It converted the first floor into school administrative offices and an entranceway leading into the church. No additional changes were made on the second floor, which still functions as storage room for the parish, much as it did for the LVRR. Once the entire building was renovated and the exterior rebricked in 1958, the transformation from engine house to church complex was complete. The contrast between the pictures of the building Holy LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
outline of the pit used by LVRR mechanics to work on the underside of the engines.
Holy Trinity Catholic Church as it appeared in the late 1950s after the renovation project was complete
Trinity Catholic Church purchased from the LVRR in 1955 and the building as it stood after the original renovation shows the great vision the church had in taking on such an ambitious project. In 2005, a new Holy Trinity Catholic Church was constructed in front of the former engine house, which was then renovated a second time to accommodate the continuing needs of the parish.
Today’s Holy Trinity Catholic Church overshadows the former engine house.
Holy Trinity Parish Uncovers Evidence of Its Building’s Past When construction workers recently made an interesting discovery while remodeling the social hall at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Annie Williams, business manager of Holy Trinity Parish, invited representatives of the LVRRA to share in the discovery. While removing the old flooring in the social hall, workers uncovered the railroad tracks that were imbedded in the original concrete of LVRR’s engine house. Not only were the rails still intact, but also the Every Story Begins At Home.
The openings of the domed windows were filled in with concrete blocks when Holy Trinity renovated the engine house.
The railroad tracks and the outline of the pit used by LVRR mechanics to work underneath engines were visible after workers recently removed the flooring in Holy Trinity’s social hall.
Upon viewing the outline of the pit, Bill McCullough recalled hearing years ago that when the church bought the property, anything left behind by the LVRR was shoveled into the pit to fill the hole. Unfortunately, no one will ever know what LVRR artifacts may lie buried beneath the concrete floor. Williams also invited the LVRRA personnel to tour the second floor above the Catholic school’s administration offices. Although the parish uses the space for storage, the second floor, including the floor, walls, and ceiling, remains virtually the same as it was when the LVRR built the engine house in 1922. The gigantic steel beams are still visible and the walls reveal the outline of the original domed windows now filled in with concrete blocks.
Some remnants left behind by the LVRR have never been removed. Lighting fixtures, a workbench supporting a large vise and two banks of shelving remain as well as a can of grease and boxes of parts. Williams agreed to try to arrange a future joint project between the church and the LVRRA to inventory the articles remaining in the bins. Hopefully, the project will result in uncovering additional information and artifacts relating to the LVRR. ***** Reprinted with permission from The Liggie, September 2012 (Volume 8, Issue 3), the newsletter of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association. CONTACT INFO: Ligonier Valley Railraod Museum, 3032 Idlewild Hill, PO Box 21. Ligonier PA 15658. 724238-7819. www.lvrra.org. lvrra@verizon.net
Model trains like this "HO" gage commemorative Ligonier Valley 1905 Bobber Caboose are available for purchase at the LVRR giftshop.
Ninety years after LVRR’s engine house was erected in 1922, the roof framework and I-beam pictured above remain functional.
Bob Stutzman is the co-founder of the Ligonier Valley Rail Road Association (2004), eight-year officer, and originator/editor of their quarterly publication The Liggie. Retired from LVRR in 2012, he is an active member of Christ United Church of Christ in Latrobe, and a member of the Greater Latrobe Community Chorus. Bob also attended Ligonier High School and the University of Pittsburgh and served in the United States Air Force. Also retired from Timken - Latrobe Steel as the manager of the Special Products Division, he married with two daughters and five grandchildren.
September 2013 - 17
TODAY’S EDUCATION
by Clair Ward, Head of School at Valley School of Ligonier
The Waypoint, Not the Destination The end. The reward. The finish line. As a society, we are truly fascinated by points of completion. When you think about it, many things are built this way. It is as if only the acknowledgement of the finish makes the work worthwhile. But in this season of graduation—a time of diplomas, certificates and degrees—perhaps we would do well to encourage our youth to consider themselves launched, rather than finished. Perhaps education needs to be an ongoing journey, not the pursuit of a destination. New York Times blogger and director of the non-profit Colleges That Change Lives, Martha O’Connell, recently posited the idea that college is a journey, not a destination. O’Connell believes that all too often, at each stage of their school careers, students function as what she calls “educational trophy hunters.” They strive to collect each new award and each competitive degree that will make them employable and give them prestige. She attributes this to our very goal-oriented society. Not that goals are not admirable, but when you focus only on the pursuit of endings and finishes—the final award, the trophy, the diploma—you run the risk of looking at education as a series of destinations rather than as a journey. O’Connell says, “If I held the magic wand for education, my wish would be that students might approach [school] with a great appreciation for the long view: it is not about the race to the end, but instead what you learn from each step in the journey.” Any good trip has the all-important itinerary—the list of times and places to be included. For a student, this itinerary is made up of the formal and informal lessons learned. A favorite teacher, a difficult exam, the 18 - September 2013
successes and even failures become the collection of stops along the way for an education. These accumulated stops determine the value of the experience. Planning a trip also requires one to consider both travel time and cost. In other words, what will you have to put into the trip to make it a good one? Any student can easily regale you with the number of hours of homework (either completed or not completed.) A great educational journey can also include time spent in instruction, books read, etc. And parents worry about the rising financial commitment an education requires. This is definitely a trip with some serious investment. But does graduation have to be the end? A student’s response could be, “What was it all for if not to get to this ending?” The great philosopher, Plutarch, would say in response: “The mind is not a vessel that needs filling, but wood that needs to be ignited.” The purpose of this journey is not to fill the brain as though it were a container—containers are finite. The purpose of this journey is to encourage students limitlessly. Plutarch would say that graduates arrive at the podiums not as full vessels, but as ignited scholars who are ready to continue learning. To promote a lifetime of learning, we must view graduation as a waypoint on the journey, rather than a destination. The diploma is not something you pursue as proof of completion, but rather something that proves you are ready to move to the next phase. Graduation indicates the student is now prepared to chart his or her own course for learning. In the eyes of a teacher, the graduation stage is a waypoint as a student heads to the next step. And the pur-
pose of this waypoint is for teachers to acknowledge how things will be different moving forward. Yesterday, the student’s learning and the igniting of his passion was the teacher’s responsibility. On graduation day, it officially becomes the student’s. The educational journey included an itinerary that prepared the student to take the next step on his own; on graduation day, we deem him ready. A good teacher does not just fill the student’s suitcase with factual knowledge; a good teacher plants ideas and encourages the student to vision an educational future for himself. Good schools hear Plutarch’s charge and ignite the students with the hope that they do not pursue the graduation stage as an educational trophy. Good schools want to see students launching a commitment to continue learning either through formal or informal education. While recognition of hard work is important, let us be sure that we are sending a message to our youth that lifelong learning is crucial. On graduation day, this waypoint in the journey, the students’ education is officially theirs and no longer ours. And while it is true that nobody can take it from them, their fire needs to be nurtured as they continue their path. When the graduates leave the stage, they will have diplomas—their passports for unlimited travel. And if we encourage their internal passions to be their tour guides, their journeys are bound to be full of possibility and purpose. ***** Clair Ward was appointed in 2008 to the position of Head of School at Valley School of Ligonier (www.valleyschoolofligonier.com). Ms. Ward holds an M.Ed. from Boston College and a B.A. in English/ Classics from Hamilton College. She lives in Rector with her daughter and husband, Bryon Williams, a doctoral candidate at Duquesne University.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
LIGONIER VALLEY RAIL ROAD MUSEUM
TOYS • GAMES • PUZZLES
At the restored Darlington Station
108 South Market Street, Ligonier, PA 15658
724-238-6233
Open 7 Days a Week. Call for Hours. Online Shopping Cart: www.toyboxligonier.com
Sharing the 75-year history of railroading in Ligonier Valley
Wednesday thru Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
3032 Idlewild Hill, Ligonier, PA www.lvrra.org 724-238-7819 ─ lvrra@verizon.net This advertisement sponsored by Pat Kowatch & Associates and Bob Stutzman
Compass Inn Museum
Oct 25-27 Haunted Halloween Event
Evening storytelling and haunted tour of Compass Inn Museum. (6:00-9:00 p.m. Fri & Sat; 5:00-8:00 p.m. Sun.)
Nov 2-24 Harvest Candlelight Tours Experience the harvest season in the 1800’s (Saturdays & Sundays only; 3:00-7:00 p.m.)
Nov 29– Dec 15 Christmas Candlelight Tour
The holiday season features wood fires and glow of 100 candles. (Sat. and Sun. only; 3:00-7:00 p.m.)
1382 Route 30, Laughlintown, 3 miles east of Ligonier 724-238-4983 • www.compassinn.com Events sponsored by Ligonier Valley Historical Society
This advertisement sponsored by Antiques On the Diamond in Ligonier
Every Story Begins At Home.
September 2013 - 19
On Rage and Invisibility: A Reminder by Joanna McQuade Invisibility is a tricky subject. On one hand, those who are truly invisible in our culture tend to be the ones who suffer most. Yet the factors that reinforce this suffering are also, by necessity, invisible. If people never see injustice, they will never realize that it is there. If they never know it is there, they will never do anything about it. And so on. Ad nauseum. For example, take this ordinary, everyday scene. It demonstrates how tiny aggressions, seemingly meaningless moments, can render you invisible. After meeting Ming Doyle on Free Comic Book Day and getting a quick sketch of Mohawk Storm from her, I showed off my spoils to someone I know. This someone is male, and was with his male friend. He turns to his male friend. “Is that who draws Saga?” I answer, “No, that’s Fiona Staples.” There is a split-second pause. His friend replies, “No, that’s Fiona Staples.” Then, and only then, does he nod and acknowledge this answer. The friend was deemed more knowledgeable solely because of his maleness. He was not the one who had just stood in line, beaming, to meet a favorite artist. He was not the one who answered first. Taken on its own, this incident is small. It perhaps seems petty to dwell on it, to force upon it some significance about gender and the geek community. But this incident will never exist on its own. It sits among a wide array of minor offenses, all of which made me feel devalued and underestimated because of my gender: in the 7th grade, during a spat regarding The Return of the King, I was told by a boy in my class that I was wrong because I was a girl. On countless visits to Game Stop, staff speak only to my boyfriend, never to me. The same man from the incident above once offered to lend me some comics, thinking he could get me into some books I’d never heard of (although I had), as I was “suddenly into comics.” Despite the fact that the first 20 - September 2013
time I met him, I was dressed as Delirium from the Sandman. I remember these incidents, because they reinforce and practically verbalize the cultural messages we receive every day: Girls don’t know anything about Tolkien. Girls don’t play video games. Girls don’t read comics. Again and again and again. These words are intended to make me and my lived experiences invisible. They are intended to force me to devalue myself. Sometimes the microaggressions hurt more than the big ones, the obvious ones. When someone says women should shut up about equality until they’re ready to sign up for the draft, or that women can’t be in leadership roles because of their periods, or the countless other overtly hostile messages we hear every day, it is almost less hurtful. Long ago, I conjured an armor made of eye-rolling and quick-witted replies to defend myself against these attacks. But there is a part of me that still doesn’t know how to deal with the smaller offenses. When a comic store employee ignores me waiting in line so he can talk to some boys about Magic: The Gathering, there will always be a part of me that wonders if it is all in my head. I don’t have the right armor for this situation, and I don’t know the best way to forge it. When we talk about all the factors, micro and macro, that reinforce cultural notions like racism, sexism, homophobia, classism and myriad other ills, the burden of proof always lies on the victim. Someone will always ask you if this incident you describe is an isolated incident. It never is, but you can also never explain the compounding of all the insults, huge and small, that has shaped your understanding of this incident. It is impossible to describe, because it is the story of living every day, since birth, in an unequal world. When a stranger says “hey beautiful” to me on my way to lunch, it is not that particular man I want to break in half,
but all of the men who have ever, since I was a preteen, shouted things at me or stared at me in public. The same problem arises when you critique media. People inevitably try to argue that it is an isolated incident, that it isn’t that bad because it’s just this one movie or book. It’s just one employee in one comic shop. Or they rely on individual interpretations: oh, well, when I read that book, I pictured this character’s dark skin as meaning a tan white person. He was just giving you a compliment, you should be happy. These tactics are both themselves invisible, and a method for suppressing complaints, rendering justified criticism invisible. The people who make these arguments do not realize that they are enabling oppression, because most of them would deny that oppression exists. Some people in the US think racism ended with the Civil Rights Act and that feminism became obsolete after Roe V. Wade. To suggest otherwise is to force people to consider their own, personal relationship to inequality. It is difficult to face reality. Sometimes knowing the truth about our world makes me not want to live on this planet anymore. But it is so much healthier than pretending to be too cool for politics, or whatever bullshit helps people avoid seeing what is happening around them. When people bemoan the apathy of others, they are really upset about the forces that keep us and our lived experiences invisible, and that, in turn, keep the forces themselves invisible. So, I guess what I’m trying to say is that it is important. It is always important. The offenses great and small that remind you of your place in the social stratum. They are real. They are worth talking about. Even if they happen on a TV show, or in a classroom, or in a game store. They matter. If it makes you angry, there is always, always a reason why. LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Stay strong. Stay angry. After co-founding the blog Geekalitarian with Elizabeth Srsic, Joanna combined her love of analytic writing and nerdy things. Covering topics like the subversion of the male gaze in comics and the issue of race in fantasy, Joanna discovered her interest in cultural commentary. Although her critiques of pop culture began only a few years ago, she has been a writer and nerd almost since birth. In addition to spending her time writing cogent analysis, Joanna loves cats, thinks about ways to Fight The Man, and wishes she could be Storm. She has a BA in English (minor in German) from Suffolk University and intends to one day infiltrate the Ivory Tower and become a stuffy academic.
“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think - rather to improve our minds, so as to enable us to think for ourselves, than to load the memory with thoughts of other men.” – Bill Beattie
Some green groups are promoting the simple notion of sharing as a way to green communities and combat waste. Can you explain? The convergence of environmental awareness and consumer culture has created a whole new movement today whereby sharing is cool. Indeed, some environmentalists view sharing as key to maintaining our quality of life and our sanity in an increasingly cluttered world. “Sharing is a relatively simple concept and a basic part of human life,” reports Janelle Orsi on Shareable, an online magazine that tells the story of sharing. “What’s new is that people are applying sharing in innovative and far-reaching ways, many of which require complex planning, new ways of thinking and organizing, and new technologies. In short, people are taking sharing to new levels, ranging from relatively simple applications of sharing to community-wide sharing initiatives —and beyond.” “In a shareable world, things like car sharing, clothing swaps, child-
care coops, potlucks, and cohousing make life more fun, green, and affordable,” reports Shareable. “When we share, not only is a better life possible, but so is a better world.” The non-profit Freecycle Network, which runs a Craigslist-style website where people can list items they want to give away, pioneered using the Internet to facilitate diverting reusable goods from landfills when it launched back in 2003. To date, more than nine million individuals across 5,000 different regions have used the group’s freecycle.org web-site to find new homes for old items. According to Shareable, other examples such as Zipcar, Wiki-pedia, Kiva and Creative Commons show how successful sharing can be. “They show what’s possible when we share. They show that we don’t act merely for our own good, but go out of our way to contribute to the common good. They show that we can solve the crises we
face, and thrive as never before. They show that a new world is emerging where the more you share the more respect you get, and where life works because everyone helps each other.” Shareable and the Center for a New American Dream, a non-profit that highlights the connections between consumption, quality of life and the environment, have collaborated on the production of the new “Guide to Sharing,” a free downloadable book-let loaded with practical ideas about exchanging stuff, time, skills and space. Some of the ideas in the guide include: organizing a community swap; starting a local toy, seed or tool library; launching a skills exchange where community members can swap professional skills like carpentry or grant-writing; or setting up a food, transportation or gardening co-op. Some other sharing tips include carsharing, gift circles, sharing back-yard chickens with neighbors and launching a “free market” where people meet to trade skills and stuff. For her part, Janelle Orsi envisions a future where public land is dedicated to community gardening, public libraries also lend tools, equipment and other goods, and citywide bike sharing, carpooling and wifi programs are all the rage. Orsi and others warn we had better get used to sharing, as it is here to stay. CONTACTS: Freecycle Network, www.free cycle.org; Shareable, www.shareable.net; Center for a New American Dream, www.newdream.org. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a registered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Subscribe: www. emagazine.com/subscribe. Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.
In a shareable world, things like car sharing, clothing swaps, childcare coops, potlucks and cohousing make life more fun, green and affordable.
Every Story Begins At Home.
Photo Credit: Clapstar, courtesy Flickr
September 2013 - 21
Sugar Can Spoil Your Season by Hayley Chemski, Summertime picnic desserts turn to Halloween candy and fall festival treats. The weather changes, and although the beauty of the Laurel Highlands can be breathtaking as leaves turn majestic colors, our activity level drop when we come indoors from cooler temperatures. As mundane as seasonal changes may seem, one must realize that adverse activity and dietary changes can lead to an increase in disease incidences. Moreover, what you choose to eat and what you choose to ‘do’ are two of the leading contributors to your risk of developing Type II diabetes. Disease is lurking in the shadows, and you may be able to control its onset. Diabetes (known to some as “sugar”) affects 25.8 million Americans, nearly 1/10, while upwards of 7.8 million have not been diagnosed. In one year, diabetes is either the cause of death or a contributor in over 230,000 deaths in America. Diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure (hypertension), blindness, circulation disorders (amputations), poor wound healing, kidney disease (resulting in kidney failure), and nerve disorders (neuropathy). As estimated in 2012, diabetes costs $245,000,000,000 (billion) each year! The leading causes of Type II diabetes (non-insulin dependent type) are sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits. By creating a healthy living pattern, you may be able to decrease your chances of Type II diabetes. Fitness, such as the modalities offered at Building Bodeez Fitness and Wellness Center, can level your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. In addition to leveling your blood sugar by burning sugar for fuel (in several ways), exercise has been proven to make insulin more effective in the blood stream. Examples of 22 - September 2013
MSN, CRNA and Certified Fitness Trainer
exercise or physical activity can include, but are not limited to, walking (Walk/Run club), aerobic dance (Zumba/Hip Hop), strength training (Silver Fitness/Jam n Tone), swimming (Aqua Zumba), biking (Bike Club), and Yoga (Yoga Basics)—those listed in parentheses are available at Building Bodeez. Aim for activity of 30 minutes daily, at least 5 days/ week. Keep track of your activity. You might find that writing everything down helps keep you on target and helps you to evaluate what works for you. Finally, find a buddy to exercise with you. Personal trainers are great ‘buddies’ and will keep you accountable and safe when trying new activities, but at fitness centers likened to Building Bodeez, you will find many clients are friendly and helpful, they will promote your activity through their welcoming and inclusive behavior. In addition to fitness, a sensible diet is one of the best ways to decrease your risk of Type II diabetes. To revamp your pantry, shop on the outer perimeter of the grocery store where most foods are fresh or refridgerated (produce, deli, low-fat milk products). Limit your access to processed foods by scaling back on purchasing potato chips, boxed foods, and high-sugar snacks. Stock up on fresh vegetables/fruits, lean (nonprocessed) white meats, and wholegrain breads/pastas. Next, spend time planning at least half of your meals weekly. As our Building Bodeez nutritional expert, Janine Koutsky, MES states, “failing to plan is like planning to fail.” She goes on to point out a nutritional plan (beginning with a few of your meals each week) will alleviate daily stress, avoid repeated trips to the grocery store, and decrease binge eating when ‘the cupboard is bare’ and you are ravenously hungry. Maintain
a consistent blood sugar and avoid ‘inhaling’ wasted calories by eating regularly throughout the day; between snacking and breakfast, lunch, and dinner, one should eat 5-6 times/ daily. Find time for your health this fall as you celebrate the change of seasons. Involve your family and friends in the choice to eat a healthy diet and to live an active lifestyle. Consult your physician for more information regarding your risk of diabetes, and read more online at www.diabetes.org.
Hayley is a Certified Fitness Trainer and the coowner of Building Bodeez Fitness Center, located at 154 Pandora Rd in Derry, PA, as well as a fulltime Nurse Anesthetist with the University of Pittsburgh Physicians, currently based at St. Margaret’s Hospital in Fox Chapel, PA. Hayley offers a wealth of fitness and health knowledge, serving as the Group Fitness Coordinator and Wellness Programs Director at Building Bodeez. She has developed several programs at Building Bodeez including initiation of the first ZUMBA classes in the area, as well as AerobaDANCE and Yogilates (her unique creations), and the wildly successful Building Better Bodeez weight loss intensive program. She has also been a nurse for eight years, and obtained her Masters Degree in Nursing Anesthesia in 2008. Hayley has been recognized by the Westmoreland County YWCA as Sportswoman of the Year (2010) for her dedication to women’s’ health, as well as philanthropic work through Building Bodeez. She also recently won the prestigious 2012 Westmoreland County Winners’ Circle Award sponsored by the YWCA for exhibiting early professional success as well as the potential to obtain marked achievement. Hayley recognizes the marriage of fitness with healthy living and disease risk prevention, and offers suggestions for holistic wellbeing through her blog at Laurel MountainPost.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
LAUREL MOUNTAIN
POST Showcase Your Listings for Westmoreland County House Hunters Our readers tell us the same thing all the time – they read the Laurel Mountain Post cover-to-cover . . . even the ads! The Laurel Mountain Post has become the unofficial guidebook to Westmoreland County and the surrounding region, providing a slice of life narrative about our people, places and things. With our monthly distribution of 10,000 copies (expanding to 15,000 in 2014), your listings will reach more viewers than ever before. Beginning in September 2013, we are adding a special Westmoreland County Guide to Homes to the Laurel Mountain Post. Whether in the market for a new home or just curious about neighborhood houses, expanded monthly audiences will look to the Laurel Mountain Post as THE source for listings, feature stories about historic or unique homes, and articles that capture resident as well as visitor interests. Our commitment to quality, local journalism extends to our advertisers as well as readers. The Laurel Mountain Post believes in the strength of “Main Street” communities and strives to provide affordable, quality marketing resources for businesses, large and small: • • • •
Please review our display rate card: If you are interested in taking advantage of this new advertising opportunity in the community, please contact us by phone (724-537-6845) or email editor@laurelmountainpost.com. Additional information, including demographics, is also now available on our updated website, www.LaurelMountainPost.com. Thank you for taking the time to consider the Laurel Mountain Post in your marketing plans for the remainder of the year or beginning in 2014.
Flexible contracts, allowing you to change ad sizes monthly Prices ranging from $75 to $1500 Free layout and design services Each ad purchased sponsors a FREE 1/8 ad for the nonprofit of your choice
Laurel Mountain Post 2013 Display Advertising Rate Card Ad Size
Dimensions
Monthly Price
Monthly Price with Annual Contract
1/8 page (business card)
2.25” high x 3.5” wide
$75.00
$60.00
$720.00
1/4 page
4.75” high x 3.5” wide
$125.00
$100.00
$1,200.00
1/3 page (billboard)
wide proportions
$200.00
$150.00
$1,800.00
1/2 page
4.75”high x 7.5” wide (WIDE) 9.25” high x 3.5” wide (TALL)
$250.00
$175.00
$2,100.00
whole page (interior)
9.25” high x 7.25” wide
$500.00
$250.00
$3,000.00
inside covers
11” high x 8.5” wide, full bleed
$,1000.00
$950.00
$11,400.00
back cover
11” high x 8.5” wide, full bleed
$1,500.00
$1,400.00
$16,800.00
Every Story Begins At Home.
Annual Contract (installments available)
September 2013 - 23
real estate Vernon Realty Ad
24 - September 2013
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Information for Life by Mike Vernon
Things to Think About When Selling Your House You’ve finally taken the plunge and participated in the American Dream of home ownership. Forward ahead 2, 10, 20 years or even longer. The odds are that at some point down the road you will sell that house. There are a few things that you must consider when selling your slice of the American Dream. The first and foremost item is why you are selling in the first place? Are you looking to move to be closer to your job or family or are you looking to move away from a bad personal situation or cranky neighbor? Maybe you are considering selling because you are looking to upgrade into a newer and nicer property. Only after weighing the pros and cons of your decision are you able to move on to the next step. Unless you are downsizing, the newer home will most likely cost you more money than you are currently paying for your house. This supposed step up in to a more expensive property can be one of the trickier situations a homeowner will encounter. You may find yourself shortchanging your retirement nest egg or even being forced to work years longer just to afford to pay for this new home. The key would be to make sure you are having open and frank discussions with your trained mortgage professional so they can put you in the best possible situation regarding your loan. Will you try and sell the property yourself or will you immediately contact a real estate agent? Along that same vein will you price the home on the higher range looking for that perfect buyer to come walking in and offer full listing price or will you price it below market value just to move it quickly? The solution here would be to make sure you are speaking with several different people and doing as much research on the internet as possible. Consider a few things that could happen if you price your home too high. You may say to yourself that you are in no hurry to sell and you might as well try and get as much money out of the sale as possible. Every day that your house sits on the market with an over inflated price tag, just waiting for a foolish bidder to come along, is another day that a realistic potential buyer ignores your property. What you may find happening is continually having to slash the price to get it down to where Every Story Begins At Home.
it should have been in the first place and now prospective buyers may begin wondering if there are other things wrong with the house besides the price tag. In the end you may have a difficult time even getting what the house should have sold for in the first place. Another item to keep in mind is making sure the house is in marketable shape. Do a mini tour with an honest,
Home of Drs. Howard and Susan Bursch
Historic House Tour Set for September 20-21
close friend and ask them to pick out the minor flaws and defects and then go and fix those items. Clean out the gutters. Do some minor painting. Clear out excess clutter. Clean the walls and windows. Get your carpets professionally vacuumed. Repair leaky faucets. Weed around your house. These are all items that should be done anyway. Just make sure you do them all now. Figure out what attracted you to the house in the first place and make sure when you list the home in the newspaper or in any of your marketing materials that you identify these features. In most instances a full extra bath is a huge plus as are walk in closets or professional grade kitchens. In some instances, location is the only thing that matters. Just remember the items that you found attractive and make sure they are front and center when marketing your house. It’s a lot to do. Selling a home is usually always easier than buying one, but if you are interested in maximizing your investment dollars and in gaining the peace of mind that comes with a smooth transaction, make sure you are considering all of the above items, and then some. Please contact my office to discuss other items of equally or greater importance such as capital gains taxes or how to choose the right listing agent.
The Westmoreland County Historical Society is opening doors to the remarkably rich history of Westmoreland County during a two-day event featuring tours of historically significant houses in Greensburg, Jeannette, and Latrobe. On Friday, September 20, from 6 to 8 pm, at the “Toast the Tour” party, cocktails and hors d’oeuvre along with a private house tour will be held at the elegant Tudor-Revival style home designed by architect Charles Sorber and built in 1926 for Conrad Semler. It is now the home of Drs. Howard and Susan Bursch. On Saturday, September 21, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, participants on the self-guided driving tour will have the opportunity to visit these sites: • The Baughman House – This historic property on Millersdale Road in Jeannette can be traced back to the Baughman Family – among the earliest German settlers of Westmoreland County. The elegant brick residence was built c. 1900 on the frame of the family’s log house that we know was there prior to 1847. A large frame bank barn (included in the tour) also dates back to the same era. J. P. Baughman acquired the property from his father’s estate in 1899. J.P. had become a prominent businessman in Jeannette by that time and had served in the PA 11 th Volunteers during the Civil War. Confederate banknotes found in the walls upon recent renovations are assumed to be one of his war souvenirs. Current owner, award-winning chef, Lisa continued on page 37
September 2013 - 25
Misty Hegan Prudential Preferred Realty • 115 S Market St • Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.7600 Office • 724.972.8418 Cell mistyhegan@prudentialpreferred.com
485 Laurel Summit Just reduced! $133000 OPEN HOUSE • Rustic mountain living September 8, noon–4 • 3 finished floors • 3br/2ba • wrap deck • convenient to Ligonier, Somerset, Resorts • LL set up as guest suite/studio complete with kit, lr, br, ba and separate entrance • Outdoor adventure out your front door!
348 Rt 271, Ligonier $75000 • EXTRA LARGE HOME!! • 5br/2ba/2 kit/double lot • Great fenced yard with fruit trees and perennials • Garage with walkup storage • Needs TLC, nice investment property
Calling All Seller s! Are Y ou R eady tto o Mo Sellers! You Ready Movve?? If you've been on the fence about listing your home, now is the time. With interest rates slowly creeping up, buyers are on the move. Ask any agent; we have buyers, we need listings to sell! Now is the time! Call today for a no-cost market analysis on your home and LIST IT!
26 - September 2013
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
HOMESTUDY by Brian Mishler
The Seller’s Guide to Home Inspection Purchasing a home is often one of the most emotionally challenging endeavors people undertake. The process runs the gamut; excitement searching for a new home, and all the possibilities and potential for the future, apprehension in applying for a mortgage, getting all of our forms, statements and information organized and presented to the lender, insurance company and whatnot. Impatience as we wait for appraisers, title checks and other professionals to complete their work. Fear that the home or other inspectors may find problems that cause the deal to collapse. And finally after all is said and done, remorse, especially among first time buyers that we may have made a mistake; bitten off more than we can chew. And finally elation; we’ve purchased this building to make it our home; decorate as we see fit, make it our personal space, refuge from the world, a place for family and friends to gather and celebrate life. Attention is frequently paid to the buyers and their issues, but what about the sellers? They’re not selling a building; they’re selling their home. Home, where the kids played in the backyard, where mom & dad put marks on a door jamb as they grew, where they baked cookies and decorated for the holidays. They’re leaving the home where the memories of a lifetime are stored. And now, their Realtor® may be advising them to take down some of that personal “stuff” to de-clutter, to create an environment where potential buyers can envision their families, and preparing them for the journey to sell. As a home inspector, I’m not qualified to advise you on how to sell your home; except to say, hire a Realtor®! As Abraham Lincoln said: “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” While many professionals in real estate make their jobs look easy, it’s not. Real estate professionals are adept at managing the emotional, financial and timing related issues to selling your home, all the while making everyone feel at ease and getting the work done behind the scenes. Every Story Begins At Home.
It’s kinda like herding cats; cats with cellphones, e-mail and Facebook! The second most important thing you can do is actually listen to and do the recommendations made by your agent!! Like buyers, sellers are frequently apprehensive about the home inspection portion of the process. I’ve often been ask if I’m there to do a “white glove” inspection, and not a week goes by that a seller doesn’t apologize for the mess that their house is in. (Even if it’s cleaner than mine!) So let’s clear the air as it were about why and what a home inspector is doing in your home.
said, we will look under sinks, in closets, in your kitchen cabinets, (to make sure they are properly fastened to the wall.) under stairs, and in every nook and cranny that belongs with the house. We are not in your home to “nit-pick”; most of us see our role as educational; we try our very best to prepare buyers to the current condition of their new homes and teach them how to perform maintenance, (Changing furnace filters etc.) and what to do in case of… (Shut the main water supply off for a leak.) We are required to inspect, as much as possible, the heating and cooling, plumbing, electrical, and structural, roof, interior and exterior systems. The typical home inspection is non-invasive; we will only remove (and re-install) the covers from the electrical panels, the furnace and water heater, and takes about 2 ½ to 3 hours. We do not carry hammers, wrenches, etc., and we are not permitted to operate valves, only faucets, we cannot remove nails, only screws. As a good client you’ve listened to your agent, and de-cluttered your home. Often, the “stuff” that ends up being removed finds its way into basements and attics, which is my domain; I spend the vast majority of my time in basements.
Here’s a list of what you as a seller can do to make the home inspection go a bit easier: First of all, “home inspection” is a bit of a misnomer. We are building inspectors, and are only concerned with the condition of the building in which your home is located. We are not concerned with nor have opinion about your home’s décor, furnishings, toys, gadgets, and most of the “stuff” that makes a house a home. We have an unbiased interest in the “nuts and bolts” that comprise your building. We will not look in or open any dressers, drawers, chests, cabinets, etc. that are not built into or onto the house. That
• Make sure the foundation walls are visible and accessible. If your home is on a crawlspace, make the entry point easy to find and access. Don’t pile boxes and “stuff” against the basement walls. We are not permitted to move personal items; if we can’t access a portion of the house or a component, we are required to inform our client and recommend the area be made accessible and evaluated. This can delay the process and add angst. continued on page 28 September 2013 - 27
• If you have pets, please crate them or find a place for them to be for a little while. I’m a pet lover, but it’s a timeconsuming nuisance if I have to be wary of Fluffy running out the door, or climbing into the attic / crawlspace. • Likewise; the buyers and I will be walking around the yard, please collect droppings. • If the folks buying your home ordered a radon test, please don’t fret. A radon test is a minimum of 48 hours, and the inspector will usually place the testing device either two days before or at the time of inspection. Closed house conditions must be maintained for 12 hours prior to the start of the test, and for the entire time the testing device is in your home. More information is available at http://www.epa.gov radon pubs/hmbyguid.html. Radon is a common issue, and is easily fixed, please do not tamper with the testing device or open windows, doors, etc. for a pro-longed period. Normal entry and exit is fine.
What you can expect from us as competent professionals:
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continued from page 27
• Much like the foundation walls, please give us ample space to access your electrical panels. (Many homes have more than one.) This means moving your “stuff” and if there is a decorative surround / covering, it should permit access to the electrical panels cover screws or be screwed in place itself, or removed for inspection. We are not permitted to pull or reinstall nails. • Just like the electrical panel, we need access to the furnace and water heater. Please move Fluffy’s litter box! Eww! • We also need to be able to see the main water supply entrance and the main water shutoff. • If you know there is an issue, please disclose it; if we find something (deliberately) hidden, it just makes us look harder. • We will not pull up fastened carpet or floor coverings, but may take a peek under area rugs or other easily moved floor coverings. • If possible, please give us a flat space on each level to set our laptop or other computer equipment. (I like to use the washer / dryer in the basement, kitchen counter 1st floor, and a high dresser 2nd floor.) • Like the components in the basement, we need access to the fireplaces, bathrooms, outlets, windows, doors, and other living areas. If you’ve tossed a bunch of “stuff” into the shower you don’t use, we can’t operate it. • Please make your attic accessible; if the hatch is located in a closet or other tight space, please remove clothing and “stuff”. We need to get ourselves and a ladder in there and often; dirt and insulation fall from the hatch beyond our control.
28 - September 2013
• While some may argue to the contrary, we inspectors are human. We make every effort to leave your home as we found it. • The doors will be locked and the building secure. (If you return to your home while I am there, not knowing who you are, I will lock you out of your own home to make sure you have rightful access. Please do not be offended; I am doing this to ensure your homes’ security.) • The lights will be off. (We do not operate lamps; if you left them on, they will be on when you return • We will wear booties on our shoes, and keeping your house clean, picking up anything we drop, including to the best of our ability, anything that falls from the attic access hatch. • We will turn off any plumbing fixtures we operated. • On occasion, we may leave a note in regard to a safety issue that we found during the home inspection. Please pay heed; we left this note because we feel you and or your family’s safety is in jeopardy. Please call a professional as recommended in the note as soon as possible. In this event we will usually also call your agent and advise the same. • We won’t touch your “stuff” and will work around it or recommend it be moved and the inaccessible area evaluated. • Even though it is your home, if you are not our client, we are not permitted to discuss our findings with you. Please don’t ask; the clients and their agent will be in contact with your agent about any necessary findings (if any). Allow your agent to do their job, they’ve been through many home inspections before, and know how to navigate whatever may come up. What may seem to be a daunting task is an everyday routine for these professionals. Lastly, another way to reduce your apprehension is to have a home in-spection performed prior to listing your house. This way, any issues discovered can either be addressed or disclosed, and therefore become non-issues during the negotiation and inspection phase of the process. ***** Brian Mishler is the owner of HomeStudy Inc., and a 20 year veteran home inspector. He began performing home inspection after 15 years in the construction industry convinced him that his body wasn’t made for hard labor. Brian is the former president of the Pittsburgh Regional Organization of the American Society of Home Inspectors (PRO-ASHI), and currently sits on the board of Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh, a non-profit that rehabilitates homes for disadvantaged seniors and veterans, assisting them with pre-renovation inspection and selection. Brian also teaches a variety of real estate related classes, and has mentored other seeking to become home inspectors. He currently resides in Latrobe, with his better half Carol, their Boston terrier Gizmo, three cats, and three transient college students. When spare time is to be had, Brian can be found on a motorcycle, in a kayak, or hiking in the area. He can be reached at brian@homestudyinc.com
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD by Regan Chemski
“Do all the good you can and make as little fuss about it as possible.“ Charles Dickens In today’s world, we sometimes have to make a concerted effort to look a little longer and a little deeper - beyond the negativity we are so often bombarded with – to recognize that good things are indeed happening all around us. What makes accentuating the positive even more difficult is that many of those doing good abide by the quote listed above and don’t seek out accolades or any recognition at all. Each month, we will bring you stories of people and/or organizations making positive change specifically here in the Laurel Highlands that frequently go unnoticed and unheralded. We hope these stories will not only bring a smile to your face and hope to your heart, but also encourage you to pay that positivity forward in your own life. DAYAA Derry Soccer Contenders League - Derry In fall 2012, Derry Soccer created a league especially designed for kids and adults with special needs in Derry and surrounding communities. The mission of the league is two-fold: first, to offer a sports and fitness activity in an adaptive environment for these young adults with special needs – players’ ages have ranged from 4 years-old through early 20s - but then also to give their families a chance to network in a different setting than a classroom or medical office. Because the league is truly a grassroots effort and comprised of a buddy system, volunteers are always needed as well as sponsors (like the Laurel Mountain Post) to keep the registration cost low for participants. The league has provided significant moments large and small to its members and organizers both. As Head Coach Jodie Edmiston stated, “It is priceless to get that high five from a very happy player who got a goal or was just able to kick the ball for the first time.” For more information or to learn how you can get involved in the DAYAA Derry Soccer Contenders League please visit www.derrysoccer-pa.com. Every Story Begins At Home.
Thinking of Nikki Foundation Greensburg The Thinking of Nikki Foundation was created by the Deniker Family in memory of their daughter, Nikki, who passed away at the age of 7 from complications sustained from her battle with cancer.In Nikki’s honor, her family has remembered the things that Nikki wanted to change in the world and in doing so has done their best to provide help to numerous families and children dealing with pediatric cancer. During Nikki’s battle the family was able to put money into the Nikki Fund from support they received, and now they use those funds and their partnership with Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to get other families in similar situations what they need and give the kids special gifts and experiences. “Our goal is to make Nikki proud and never forget what these children go through,” Nikki’s mother, Karen, continues, “We are proud of the kids’ last wishes we have done – a dog for one little girl and even a fixed truck for a teenage boy.” The foundation continues to raise funds through various activities and events, including an annual gun bash taking place on Saturday, September 7 in Latrobe. For more information, please visit www.thinkingofnikki.com and follow the Thinking of Nikki Foundation on Facebook. The Deceased Veterans Cemetery Flag Fund – Blairsville In 1990, veteran Harold A. Thomas approached the Blairsville Cemetery Board with an idea . . . he wanted to publicly display deceased veterans’ burial flags at the cemetery on Memorial Day with no charge to their families. The Board accepted his idea and a total of 37 flags were flown on Memorial Day 1990. The number of flags flown has steadily increased over the years as veterans’ families continue to donate their deceased loved ones’ flags. Today this beautifully breathtaking display is believed to be the largest of its kind in our
area with, to date, the total number of flags flown having grown to nearly 850, with 450 flags flown during each special display. Flags are flown during Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day, and can include any deceased veteran’s flag regardless of burial location. In addition to his/her flag, each veteran is recognized in a permanent record and by a metal name marker at the base of the individual flag pole; a list and legend of the deceased veterans’ flags flown that day is also available in the cemetery office. Blairsville and the surrounding communities have truly embraced this project, and, with the dedicated efforts of volunteers from the local American Legion, VFW, Boy Scouts, and deceased veterans’ families, the poles, markers, and flags are put in place for each display. Alfred T. Hogue, Jr., project caretaker, says, “Although the flag display has grown from a handful to nearly 800 flags, the mission of the Deceased Veterans Cemetery Flag Fund has not changed through the years. As Americans we honor our military veterans on our watch. As a protected free people we will strive to carry on this honorable duty and trust our heritage of freedom as a grateful nation will be carried on into future generations.” The next display will be held during Veterans Day 2013. To learn more or to volunteer, please contact Mr. Hogue at 724-459-6878. Donations for flag maintenance can be made payable to “The Blairsville Deceased Veterans Cemetery Flag Fund” and mailed to Indiana First Bank 915 Route 22 West PO Box 66 Blairsville, PA 15717. *** Regan is the Director of Community Initiatives at Building Bodeez Fitness and Wellness Center (BBFC) in Derry, PA, where she spearheads the company’s community and volunteer programs including Relay for Life, for which BBFC has raised nearly $50,000 since 2010. She is also currently putting her event planning background to good use as she prepares for her upcoming wedding this October. If you know an individual and/or organization doing good in the Laurel Highlands, contact Regan at rchemski@gmail.com.
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WHAT’S COOKING IN FITNESS by Mark Rullo MS, CSCS, MES
The Key To Weight Loss With Exercise:
Keep Your Star Player Off the Bench! To minimize wasting time, energy and even money in the pursuit of weight loss and or body transformation one must understand how fat is actually utilized for fuel to be “burned” off or lost. At My Fitness Kitchen® we have a term we call “Hierarchy of Fat Loss” to express from the highest to lowest priority the scientific process that will cause the greatest and fastest fat loss in the shortest amount of time safely and effectively. In this Hierarchy, first and foremost we all must accept that we cannot out-exercise a high caloric crappy diet. With the amount of technology around us continuing to evolve, we are beginning to eat more and move less as a society. This and other factors, such as distortion of portion sizes, are contributing to this overwhelmingly increase in the number of individuals overweight and obese. Until this is addressed, it really doesn’t matter what exercise you select in pursuit of weight loss. Trust me, with my appetite I could challenge any of the so-called “hot” exercise programs (e.g., P90X, Insanity, Cross Fit, etc...) and complete them all while still gain weight if I do not keep a focus on my caloric consumption. After we accept that the first priority in the Hierarchy of fat loss is calories in versus calories out then we can look at exercise to support the nutritional formula and the targeted weight loss goal. The good news is that all exercise contributes to fat loss when your caloric formula is in-line. However not all types of exercise are created equal. Therefore, the next three levels in the hierarchy priority would be the following with resistance training being the most effective and steady 30 - September 2013
state cardio the least effective. Again, please note the ranking is in order of effectiveness. Just because one is the least effective, doesn’t make it useless. Exercise priority order when it comes to fat loss 1 . Resistance Training 2. Interval Cardio Training 3. Steady State Cardio training. As an Exercise Physiologist, when designing an exercise program to support a weight (fat) loss program, the thought process is very simple – the more muscle the better. Both in how much muscle we can involve in the exercise as well as how much muscle we can create or secure from the program. Here is why. Muscle is our metabolism. The only place body fat is utilized for fuel (aka “burned”) is in muscle cells in the presence of oxygen. The more muscle we have, coupled with the more often we move leads to greater ability for our metabolism to burn calories. It is really that simple. With this understanding, there is one area of our bodies, regardless of gender, fitness type, or experience level, which holds the most muscle mass. What is this area?? That’s right, our butt. So for those who are exercising in the most effective priority pecking order of resistance training first, followed by including some type of cardio (interval or steady state) to send the oxygen to the muscle to burn fat for fuel; how are you doing the resistance training? Are you primarily sitting down all the time, not incorporating your largest furnace for fat burning?
Understanding this science of the hierarchy of exercise for fat loss is no different than being a manager/head coach of the professional sports team. The primary purpose of the manager/head coach is to WIN, and the best chance that manager/head coach has at winning is making sure his/her star player is in the game. Exercise is no different. Each individual’s weight (fat) loss is the difference between winning or losing with a specified weight loss program. When you factor in the time, energy, and money you put into losing weight, wouldn’t you want your best player participating in the game? If so, as we remind our weight loss clients/members here at the Kitchen – “Get off your ASSETS.” Meaning if you want to maximize caloric expenditure both during and after the workout, get off your butt and incorporate as much muscle as possible during each exercise.We also tell them no body part gets a FREE ticket to just hang around while other body parts work. If you are already participating in a weight training program or looking to get started and your goal is weight loss, ask yourself, “do I have my best fat burning player(s) in this game of exercise for weight loss?” If the answer is no, then make the change. One final note regarding resistance training: Just because you have a weight in your hands, doesn’t necessary mean you are resistance training. This one principle is where we see the most error in one’s resistance training program. Sorry ladies, those 5 lb dumbbells in your aerobic body sculpt class isn’t resistance training considering your purse or other objects in activities of daily LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
living (ADL’s) weigh more than those dumbbells. Bottom line, your body needs to be progressively challenged, just like your mind. We send kids to school for 12 years; however it isn’t 12 years at the first grade. They progress and are challenged each year to grow and develop, and we need to do the same with our body. There is some good news with progression and resistance training. Resistance training is not only defined by increasing the amount of weight moved. It can come from change in tempo of movement, base of support/stability, volume of reps and sets and recovery between sets. This variety in progression is how anyone, regardless of fitness experience, level and/or limitations, can incorporate an effective resistance training program into a weight loss exercise regimen. Now with this understanding, can you see why people are struggling with weight loss? For many, when they want to start a weight loss program, they think joining a gym and beginning any type of exercise will solve their problem. However for most that do that, they follow the hierarchy in the complete opposite order. They begin with some steady state (same pace) cardio like walking or jogging on a treadmill or outside with no focus on nutrition and exactly how many calories they need to eat based on their body type, gender, age and how often they move. Very few will have any concern for muscle (progressive resistance training with proper fueling). This ineffective approach leads to increased frustration when people do not see the results that thought they would. This is why we have more gyms and fitness centers than ever before, while the number of overweight, burnt out, and frustrated people continues to grow due to the lack of results. Fitness centers and gyms are basically for access to exercise, which is great from a health perspective but not technically when it comes to weight loss. Traditional gyms are typically not relevant for those people with the goal of weight loss, particularly when Every Story Begins At Home.
no scientific plan such as the “hierarchy of fat loss” is in place. For more information, please feel free to consult with any of the fitness professionals at My Fitness Kitchen®. Additionally as an ongoing thank you to Laurel Mountain Post and its readers, mention this article for a FREE no obligation personalized metabolic nutritional formula and fitness program that will leverage this hierarchy of fat loss. If you are serious about achieving a body transformation goal then you need a program; however any goal without a plan is really only a wish. As an added incentive for people new to My Fitness Kitchen®, by mentioning this Laurel Mountain Post article and after meeting with one of My Fitness Kitchen’s Fitness Professionals for a private consult as offered above – you will receive $50 “Kitchen Cash” to be used toward any program or service at My Fitness Kitchen® as a courtesy of the Laurel Mountain Post.
www.myfitnesskitchen.com 724-879-8523 results@myfitnesskitchen.com Something far from your traditional, intimidating gym, My Fitness Kitchen® is where weight loss is made simple. My Fitness Kitchen® is located in Latrobe 30 plaza, Latrobe PA. My Fitness Kitchen® is a weight loss and body transformation center that also happens to have a fitness center connected to it. From the moment you enter My Fitness Kitchen® regardless of your age, fitness level or experience, it’s all about “You”. The supportive staff, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly members combine to create the most unique and comfortable environment for your fitness and weight management success. Whether it is Fitness, Nutrition or both, you can be confident My Fitness Kitchen® is the solution to a healthier and thinner you. About the Author: Mark Rullo, MS, CSCS, MES is an Exercise Physiologist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, Medical Exercise Specialist, certified Golf Fitness Instructor and owner of My Fitness Kitchen® www.myfitness kitchen.com 724-879-8523. Mark and his team at My Fitness Kitchen® specializes in weight loss and body transformation helping thousands meet and exceed their fitness goals through evidence-based scientific programming.
continued from page 15 mer. For those of you located in Greensburg and its surrounding areas, I highly recommend that you stop by their store to check out the craft room (it’s like heaven in the form of a beer store). Also, Frank and Mary have assured me that they will have all of these beers available for walk-in or special orders, just in case any of you were “on the hunt” for some fall deliciousness! I hope that each of you discovers at least one new beer to enjoy during these festive few months and remember, the beauty is in the eyes of the [pumpkin] beer holder. Cheers! *****
Patrick is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Student Affairs in Higher Education at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Complementary to his enrollment as a graduate student, Patrick has always had a passion for not only providing help to others but more specifically to our growing youth. As a graduate assistant with the University, Patrick specializes in resume building, interview skills, career growth and personal development. Aside from his educational background, Patrick also believes in the importance of volunteerism. As a third generation member of the fireman community, he continuously works with various fire departments in the Greensburg area through fundraisers, community involvement and the company marching band. His belief is that we, as members of society, owe it to each other to lend a helping hand to all of those in need. On a personal level, Patrick currently lives with his lovely wife, Carly, in their Greensburg home. Away from his work schedule and household duties, Patrick especially enjoys spending his time with his wife, where they partake in various activities including mini-golf, cooking out, attending a Steelers game, and building an igloo. Patrick’s main goal is to relate with the young readers of the Laurel Mountain Post. The purpose of his pieces are to provide useful tips and advice to the younger generation, as well as offer some entertaining articles along the way. While Patrick does aim to reach the younger readers, however, he also hopes to inspire all readers (including the parents of those younger readers) to keep learning new things on an every day basis. What can a reader expect from Patrick’s articles? The answer includes a wide variety of topics from career development to cooking basics to upcoming music festivals to seasonal beers. As a young writer, Patrick looks forward to interacting with each of his readers and welcomes input from each and every one of you.
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POSTMODERN TENDANCIES by Megan Fuller
Human Tales Stories are powerful tools. They can pass on traditions, provide moral guidance, entertain us, inspire us, and give us comfort in the knowledge that others have similar experiences. Stories connect us to each other and to our environment. Stories (and opposable thumbs) make us human. At my husband’s family reunion they have a tradition that each branch of the family stand up and discuss their linage, introduce all the members of the branch and share some anecdotes. My husband’s uncle is a natural born storyteller and besides sharing the family tree he voiced a fable of determination and hard work-along the lines of “The Little Engine That Could.” It was just children’s tale but the rest of the family sat rapt while he spoke and in the end felt a bit more connected with each other just through that shared experience. Native American studies often rely on the collection of stories which have been passed on through oral tradition often since creation. There is a wonderful book by Julie Cruikshank called Life Lived Like a Story, in which the author records the life history of three indigenous women. Unlike a traditional Western biography, the personal histories of these women included many traditional narratives alongside individual experiences and the women themselves participate in the cultural and contextual analysis of their life stories. Although the material culture and the activities of everyday living have changed within the indigenous community of these three women, they insist that the traditional stories are instructive and that young women in the community should be 32 - September 2013
learning from them. When faced with an unfamiliar situation, women may look for guidance in a story that their mother or aunt had shared and people who were in need of advice would seek out an older woman in the community in the hopes that she might know an appropriate narrative or song to help them.
In my early 20’s I came across a version of a Navajo story of Changing Woman in a book called Grandmothers of the Light: A Medicine Woman’s Sourcebook by Paula Gunn Allen. To me Changing Woman became a role model. Here is a synopsis of the story: Changing Woman was a turquoise figurine brought to life with her sister White Shell Woman by the Winds and the Talking and Growling Gods. Changing Woman and White Shell Woman were Air Spirit People and they were lonely, so Changing Woman went to see the Sun. The Sun impregnated her but she never saw him again. She bore a son and raised him well, in fact, he was a hero. During her son’s adventures he met his father. The Sun asked his son to take a message to back his mother; he wanted Changing Woman to be his wife.
Changing Woman was lonely since her son was grown. She intended to go off and live the rest of her life alone but after receiving the Sun’s message she went to meet with him. First the Sun tried to trick her by saying that their son had agreed to make her the Sun’s wife. Changing Woman knew that was not true and she refused the marriage. Then he tried to guilt her into marrying him by saying that she owed him because he gave her a strong son, still Changing Woman refused. Finally, the Sun admitted that he was lonely and he needed her; she knew he was telling the truth. She agreed to marry him on certain conditions which he had to fulfill or she would walk away. The Sun was offended by her demands but Changing Woman held firm. She told him he had to respect her and treat her like an equal, only then could they live in harmony. The Sun agreed and they were married.
Although this story is set at the beginning of humanity, I think it is also representative of our own time. Changing Woman is a model for women everywhere. She is a successful single mother who raises a young boy into the hero of the world (he slays aliens). When the hard work of child rearing was over, the father decides to ask her to marry him. This is where I was most impressed as a young woman; Changing Woman was no push-over. The Sun tried to use trickery and deceit to get her to agree to wed but she did not succumb. She held out for sincerity, she demanded to be treated with respect and equality. She was able to stand up to him even though she was lonely because Changing Woman was content within herself. As Allen points out, “[Changing Woman’s] powerful sense of self does not depend on caprice, coyness, self-deprecation, LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
or self-centeredness, but is derived from a perspective of dignity, equality, balance, and reason.” Now that I am not so young, I still find Changing Woman to be an inspiration. Daily life subjects us all too so many different pressures; children, spouses, bosses, bill collectors, coaches, dance teachers, doctors, diets, and so on. It is easy for us to forget that we are greater than the sum of all those parts. Changing Woman reminds us that we are smart, we are capable, we are not puppets, we can stand on our own, and we do not have to be afraid to be alone. Jonathan Gottschall, an English faculty member at Washington & Jefferson College, does research on storytelling. In his latest book, The Storytelling Animal, Gottschall makes the claim that humans are actually storytelling addicts. In his own words: Tens of thousands of years ago, when the human mind was young and our numbers were few, we were telling one another stories. And now, tens of thousands of years later, when our species teems across the globe, most of us still hew strongly to myths about the origins of things, and we still thrill to an astonishing multitude of fictions on pages, on stages, and on screens—murder stories, sex stories, war stories, conspiracy stories, true stories and false. We are, as a species, addicted to story. Even when the body goes to sleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.
on interstate 79 our glances are wrapped about indifferent hills, trees dappled with late September reds and yellows flash on the periphery as we travel on the expressway across wide ribbons of sunlight we continue our search for an unambiguous sign, a ramp that will show us the way to Ambridge
So here we humans are, enjoying our stories, using them, loving them, hating them, and living them, yet not paying much attention to them, but still they are here for us whenever we are in need. Thank you stories, for making us what we are today and showing us what we can be tomorrow. ***** Megan Fuller is an applied cognitive anthropologist with postmodern tendencies who grew up in the exciting Pittsburgh suburb of Pleasant Hills and had the distinct pleasure of earning a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from IUP. In 1993, Megan moved out West to get a Master’s Degree. She also picked up a husband and hasn’t quite convinced him to move back to Western PA. To maintain her authentic Pittsburgh accent she regularly watches Pittsburgh Dad and engages anyone wearing black and gold sports gear in conversation.
Every Story Begins At Home.
poem written by Peter Sullivan Indiana, PA
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DOWN ON THE FARM by Cathi Gerhard & Gregory Susa
Our Fortress of Solitude I often threaten that one day I will build a huge wall around our farm ‘s rolling hills– a monument to the Roman Emperor Hadrian and Britain. We certainly have enough field stones, but it would take an army to dig them all up by hand from the fields and then stack them just so. Years ago, my ex-brother-in-law (a stone mason), took hundreds of those stones, saved from a few years’ plowing, and built a beautiful wall between our patio and yard, extending along the driveway. It has since been my favorite landscape feature, and I have delighted in planting various flowers and shrubs alongside it. Some walls are for beauty, and some are for protection. Once you start farming, you need more of the protective kind. Before I get my chickens, I need to fence in a yard and build them a coop. Sheep and horses will also need pastures, and our old cattle fences are long gone. So we are starting from scratch around here. Our farm restoration project began with the garden – our peaceful place of personal fulfillment after a stressful day. Sometimes I greet the morning there, and it sets a quiet tone for the hours to come. We love to spend most of our spare time there throughout the seasons – together – planting, nurturing and harvesting crops, then canning and freezing for winter. Last summer, Greg built a dozen or so raised beds in our garden for me – being partially handicapped with my broken and fused back, I have trouble bending, twisting, and lifting much more than a gallon of milk. With the raised beds, I can scoot around the garden with a bench and easily reach in for weeding and picking. The raised bed design also allowed us to start our garden season with boxes full of richly-amended soil: cow 34 - September 2013
manure, mushroom compost and peat moss mixed into our already fertile ground. Our plants were easily twice the size of any neighboring gardens, much like a TV commercial for Miracle Grow. Weed control was another benefit. Not only was it easier to spot and pull the invaders, it became a cinch to mow manicured paths in our garden. That is, as long as someone is willing to use the push mower, rather than the lawn tractor! I tried, but after backing into a box and tripping over it (falling flat onto the ground and bruising my spine), Greg banned me from the chore. The raised beds didn’t solve all of our problems. Cats saw them as big litter boxes, dogs used them as shady rests, and all kinds of critters sauntered in to feast on our all-night salad bar of tender seedlings, sprouts, and fruits of the vine. Time to build a fence. Greg delights in using his engineering skills on the farm. He whips out the paper, pencil, and other tools needed to design a solution for the problem of the day. It would surprise most people just how much geometry, physics and chemistry is used in agriculture – even on the family homestead. Based on Greg’s design, we came up with a supply list. We like to re-purpose materials whenever possible, and were delighted to discover a stash of locust posts my father had saved in the machine yard. It turns out that my Uncle Tom had cut them years ago from trees at a construction site, and they had been stored for just such a future fence-building occasion. This find reduced the budget by over 50%, leaving our primary costs for rolls of wire fencing and gate hardware.
I found some wonderful old-fashioned black powder-coated hinges and latches online at VanDyke’s Restorers (www.vandykes.com). They carrya huge selection of antique style hardware, moldings, and accent furniture– for half the price of Lowe’s or Home Depot in most cases! We definitely recommend shopping there first for projects. The next place to look for bargains is your friend or neighbor’s garage. Oftentimes tools and equipment are just too expensive to purchase just for one job. My dad left behind a great garage full of stuff, but not everything to make the job easier. Not wanting to dig our post holes by hand (we are too old and tired for that much character-building), we borrowed a power auger from Ruthie Richardson’s husband, Doug. He’s got an ultimate set of tools. Adding in some extra hands from my daughter, Elizabeth, and Greg’s dad, Jerry, we completed the project in a long weekend. Now our fence keeps out the big critters, while the multi-colored birdhouses we secured around the perimeter posts will welcome wrens and other small birds to guard against insect infestations next spring. Too bad no fence in the world is strong enough to prevent the windborne tomato blight attacking our heirloom crop this season.
***** Best friends, but never quite college sweethearts, Greg and Cathi finally married 20 years later. Together they own and operate Fairview Farm in Derry Township, now and estate winery and community garden in the making, managed by two black cats, two devoted dogs, and a ridiculously bossy young kitten. “Down on the Farm” is a column originally started by Cathi’s father, Shelly Gerhard, about a day in the life of a family farm in western Pennsylvania.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
Every Story Begins At Home.
September 2013 - 35
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Hyde-Grosz, operates the Pig and Truffle Cookery School on the property and tour guests will be invited into the cookery school building for a “taste” of what a private event there would be like.
Home of Lisa Hyde-Grosz • The Henry George House - Located on George’s Station Road, this house was once part of a larger farmstead dating back to the prominent pioneer Adam George. In 1865, George sold the property and house – believed to have been constructed around 1840 to John Kilgore – a well-known oilman and livestock breeder. After almost 100 years of relative neglect, the current owners Andrew and Susan Dzurko are in the process of creatively restoring the house both outside and inside, thus regaining its original integrity. In a tavern-style dining room, guests will be served iron skillet cornbread.
Home of Andrew & Susan Dzurko • The Buterbaugh-Stein House - We attach two names to this house – one historical and one contemporary. The Every Story Begins At Home.
house was built in 1910 by Henry Buterbaugh, who owned and operated HC Buterbaugh Coal and Coke in Latrobe. He and his family occupied the house for more than half a century before it entered almost 40 years of brief ownerships, renters, and abandonment. Bought 10 years ago by Matt and Kathleen Stein, it has been essentially rebuilt from the inside out. Matt, a wellknown master craftsman who has received commissions from across the United States, has filled his home with museum-quality woodworking details and furnishings in addition to family heirlooms. A kitchen – just completed – features a copper farm sink, handcrafted pine cabinetry with granite countertops. • The Howard Zeller House – on Old Airport Road in Greensburg was built in 1933 for Howard Zeller, the newly hired chief mining engineer for Jamison Coal & Coke. He was well-known in the coal industry, and legend has it that, to lure him away from New York, arrangements were made to build him a home almost identical to the 2-story Colonial Revival “dream house” his family had to leave in Buffalo. The most distinctive features of the house are the large columned entrance, a broad open stairway, built-in book-cases, and original oak floors. Mr. Zeller’s interest in horticulture is reflected in the carefully landscaped grounds, which are still impeccably maintained. After Zeller’s death in 1948, the house transferred to the Jay Jamison family, and it is currently owned by Dr. Christopher and Barbara Luccy. Parked outside on the day of the tour will be a vintage car from the 1930s era.
• The Historic Hanna’s Tavern – on Forbes Trail Road in Hempfield Township is the surprise addition to our house tour. The 2-story log structure is part of Historic Hanna’s Town – a reconstructed Revolutionary War era village. It was reconstructed in 1973-74 based on archaeological evidence and under the direction of prominent historic architect Charles Stotz. The building features tavern rooms and a guest room on the first floor, while the second floor includes the Hanna family quarters and a travelers’ bedroom. Guests will be greeted by “Robert and Elizabeth Hanna” – original owners of the tavern. An open-hearth cooking demonstration and tastes of punch and sweet and savory biscuits typical of the era will be featured. Advance sale tickets for the Saturday Tour are $25 and are available at the Westmoreland County Historical Society office by phone (724532-1935 x 215), online (westmorelandhistory.org), and email (library@westmorelandhistory.org). The Latrobe Art Center (724-537-7011) will also have advance tickets available. On tour day, tickets are $30 and will be sold only at each historic house. All ticket holders will receive a map with directions to each location and a keepsake booklet with historical information. Tickets for the “Toast the Tour” cocktail party are $50 and require advance purchase from the Historical Society. Proceeds benefit the Westmoreland Country Historical Society, a non-profit 501(c)3 educational organization dedicated to acquiring and managing resources related to the history of Westmoreland County and using these resources to encourage a diverse audience to make connections to the past, develop an understanding of the present, and provide direction for the future.
September 2013 - 37
THE LIGONIER CHEF by Scott Sinemus
Oldies But Goodies I recently had to go to State College, I don’t make it to the Happy Valley as often as I used to. The entire time I was driving all I could think of was Herwig’s Austrian Bistro. I had written an article about them a few years back; but it had been well over a year since I’d had the pleasure of their food. In the days before my departure I was with friends who had never been; so one of them pulled up their info on a couple of the public forum websites. Much to our surprise the reviews were less than stellar, I was horrified. I couldn’t imagine that my little Austrian Shangri-la could have possibly fallen from the pedestal I’d placed them on. The closer I got to College Avenue the more trepidation I felt. Upon entering, the same scents of delicious schnitzel, homemade soups and strudel still filled the air ... so far so good I thought. The large chalkboard menu was still on the wall with all of the other kitchy artwork (which is definitely worth taking a minute to walk around and appreciate while they’re preparing your food). Mrs. Herwig was still at the cash register taking the orders; asking patrons to please pronounce the items they would like to try… I’m thinking all systems go, but still haven’t seen the man himself; when from around the corner he appears;
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a bit thinner than I remember but still recognizable. As he takes a seat and a deep breath in the dining room I say, “good afternoon, how are you doing today?” He replies, “Tired, I’ve been up since 4:30 getting the food ready for today”.
I remember when most Chefs were apt to say the same thing; alas, the way prepared foods are today most are opting for buying them. No one needs to get up at 4:30 in the morning to make all of the food served from scratch if all you have to do is unwrap and defrost. Don’t get me wrong, there is something nostalgic about popping a block of Stouffers Mac & Cheese in the oven before shoveling snow off of the driveway on a cold winter night. Is it the same experience as my cave aged Gruyere with Sherry & Lobster? Of course not, but it is referred to as comfort food for a reason.
After placing our order we went outside to make a phone call. While I was chatting I looked at the posters and stickers all over the entrance of events coming up in the area; when to my surprise my original article was still hanging laminated in the large window all by itself! Now it was time to go in and see if the reviews we read online had any merit. I am ecstatic to report that not only is everything as good as I remembered; but, spaetzel isn’t just on Tuesdays anymore!!! It was my turn to take a deep breath in the dining room and thank Herwig for getting up at 4:30 in the morning to produce such delicious food. I also thanked him for still having my article posted in the window. I didn’t want to mention it earlier so there wouldn’t be any preferential treatment and we would have a true idea of what was being served to everyone en masse. On the way home we were discussing how we are always looking to try new places in search of delicious food and how it’s so rarely found and we are more often disappointed than pleased. Having had such good luck revisiting a place we hadn’t been in a very long time and it still providing the same experience consistently made me want to revisit some of the other places we haven’t been in a while. We went to the Darlington Inn one night after working in the yard all day Saturday. I couldn’t even remember how long it had been since we were there. Saturdays are the buffet only night; which was great, since we were able to try several of the regular menu items. We started off with a bowl of homemade soup that is served with the homemade potato bread which is positively delicious. The buffet is on the smaller LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
side and there are plenty of carbohydrate oriented items along with chicken paprikash, pork simmered in gravy and Transylvanian goulash. I couldn’t help but think of dinners at my grandmother’s house. My father’s mother would spend the entire day making the same items for dinners when relatives were visiting from out of town. “Stick to your ribs” food is what she always called it; and after having a belly full of spaetzel, pierogies and cabbage, it wasn’t difficult to imagine it all sticking to your ribs. Much like my grandmother’s the food wasn’t overly flavorful or full of herbs and spices like I make mine; however, like the Stouffers, it was comfortable and nostalgic. This summer, I also made it a point to stop at Barkley’s Dairy King in Derry; having missed it entirely last season. It was Basel’s first ice cream experience, which he positively adored! The soft serve is still served in massive portions and it is smooth, dense and nicely flavored. I am still always on the prowl for a new and delicious experience; but, will definitely start to revisit some of my old favorite haunts.
Letters From Our Readers “Just had to tell you how wonderful the Summer Laurel Mountain Post is. I read it just about cover-to-cover, which I don't often have a chance to do. It resonated with me from your opening ... "musicians who play the soundtracks of our lives" ... to closing ... "taking the past and combining it with the present in ways that form a pleasing future." Kelly Jones' "Searching for White Picket Fences;" Ruthie Richardson's "Memory Lane;" your and Gregory's "Down on the Farm" ... and even Amy Yanity's "Once Upon A Rock." I felt like I was sitting around the pool, or picnic table, or barstool, having a laugh with old friends. Thank you so much for bringing together a great assortment of talent and sharing it with the rest of us.” Ellen C. Keefe, Westmoreland Cleanways Greensburg, PA - June 2013 “Tonight I got home from wrapping the film Boulevard H, and lo and behold the magazines had arrived! What a great pick-meup after a long day. Thank you so much for the nice article, it made me cry a little for home! Thank your son for me for being a Gleek! I am so happy to have collaborated with you to do this article, makes me feel closer to PA.” Trisha Rae Stahl, actress on "Glee" Pasadena, CA - February 2013
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***** Scott Sinemus is a Chef with a degree in Culinary Arts from the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. He’s continued his education with classes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and The Greenbrier; and has travelled internationally in search of authentic cuisine.
Every Story Begins At Home.
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September 2013 - 39
How to Choose an Instrument By Victoria Mull The new school year is here. We are getting back-to-school supplies and buying new school clothes. We are excited about waking up early and eating a good breakfast to fuel little bodies for all the new and exciting subjects they are about to discover. The kids spend their days in classes and then do their homework in the evenings. As parents we try to give our kids the best tools and provide the best opportunities to succeed. One additional opportunity that would round out your child’s education is learning a musical instrument. Just as sport programs keep their bodies fit, music programs facilitate learning and foster creativity. Why music? My musical education was the reason I succeeded in school. I have to admit that I was lost in my education. I didn’t understand how to study and so I didn’t really excel. My parents tried to help me do my homework, but I still didn’t know how to study and I had a difficult time taking and passing tests. Math didn’t come easy and reading and spelling were a challenge. The one thing I enjoyed was music. I sang from an early age and I enjoyed listening to music. However, one piano lesson at age six only confused me more, so I gave up after only a few lessons. After we learned to play recorders in third grade, I again asked my parents to allow me to try an instrument. The school band teacher demonstrated his instruments and I pleaded with my parents to try one more time. While they were considering it, the string teacher came around to my classroom and I came home more determined than ever. One of her instruments was a viola. Aha, I announced that I was going to play the viola because my favorite Aunt was named Viola. That’s how I convinced my dad to allow me and lucky for us, we had a violin from my dad’s childhood attempt at playing an instrument. While it wasn’t exactly a success at first, I refused to give up. It took a number of years when I was frustrated and even discouraged, but I wouldn’t give up. Eventually I started private lessons and my teacher realized what was holding me back....and she also unlocked the reason I struggled in my other classes. It wasn’t as complicated as we thought; I just needed some extra work learning how to read, and then learning how to study and practice. Once I started reading music and applying my playing skills, mastering 40 - September 2013
music and mastering learning became less frustrating. It wasn’t always easy, but applying what I was learning on violin to reading, spelling, math and all the other academics really made a huge difference. Academically speaking, music is mathematical which requires counting notes and rhythms. Music is a language of symbols and notation. There is terminology in Italian, French and German. You learn about phrasing and balance just as you would learn speech and sentence structure. Music study allows students to develop self-confidence and self-expression. You learn when your part is important and when to let others have a turn. Music teaches responsibility and you have almost an instant gratification that you are making progress. Studying music develops your listening skills because you hear a story without ever hearing a word spoken. You learn about human empathy and compassion just from knowing the difference to a waltz, a march or a dirge. And, perhaps most importantly, you develop confidence knowing you will have these skills forever. You may stop playing an instrument at some point, but I never hear anyone regret that they learned one in the first place. How can you provide a music education for your family? One way is to be part of the school instrumental music program. Certain instruments from the brass and woodwind family are first introduced in the fourth grade because that is when a child has developed their breathing system to produce enough air to play those instruments. Also, a child of that age has grown enough that they’re able to form an embouchure and their teeth and jaw are strong enough to play. But you don’t have to wait that long for early child hood music. There are plenty of music classes offered in the community for infants and parents to learn about echo singing and matching pitches. It also develops balance and strengthens muscles. Younger children can begin on stringed instruments which come in smaller sizes that small children as young as three may be able to start with, as the child grows instruments can be traded up to larger instruments. These instruments will not have the same sound as a full size instrument, but will be easy for small fingers and hands to learn correct fingering and coordination. In my opinion the best starter instrument is the piano. You can begin at a very
young age and there are quite a lot of books that are geared for the very young beginner. Young children may not learn note reading immediately, but they are learning about hand positions, keyboard patterns and the difference in high and low pitches. Where do you find an instrument? First you need to know what you want. If you’re starting with a piano (since this is probably the best first instrument) you need to find one. If you don’t have one, do you buy or rent? You could do either. If you don’t have room for one, you can get something to fit your room buy buying an spinet, an electric piano, or a keyboard. At Vittone’s Music Center in Greensburg we have a wide assortment of pianos. Acoustic pianos can start as small as a spinet and stretch as far as a grand piano. This depends on the space you have. It also depends on your budget. A piano needs to be maintained by tuning twice a year and you need to keep it in a spot that isn’t damp and isn’t exposed to extreme temperatures. You can check out an electric piano which doesn’t need to be tuned and also provides you with voices and sounds that make your performances more exciting. Another option is a home organ if you want the luxury of a grand and the sound of electric. It will make your performance magic. Sometimes when I teach young beginners, I suggest that they start on a keyboard for the size and the price. Keyboards have improved tremendously in the last decade. You can have touch sensitivity which allows the performer to still have dynamic control like on a piano. You can control the volume and still have a pedal. If you don’t want to sink a fortune into something you don’t know if you will use for very long, a keyboard won’t break the bank. As you continue playing, you can then buy up to a better choice. One thing I really like about keyboards is the fact you can take them with you. If you go to visit grandma, you can entertain her at the same time. Keyboards also don’t go out of tune and many have features that will be of use down the road like metronomes and back up sounds. Another excellent starter instrument to consider is the guitar. Guitars, like string instruments, come in different sizes. A child around the age of five or six can play a quarter size guitar and trade up as they grow. Guitars come in acoustic and LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
electric styles as well. To find the right guitar for your student and for the music they will be playing, make a trip into the store and get the expert advice from the staff at the store. Not only do they sell instruments, they play them and can do your repair work too. But you don’t have to be a school-aged child to benefit from music lessons. I know in the years since I have given private lessons or taught a church music group, I have enjoyed my time with adult students as well. Music study keeps you young and makes you feel vital. It keeps your brain going and learning new skills doesn’t stop at acertain age. I have had many adults take up lessons, and in a short period of time have been able to play in a community group, band, or orchestra. Older students find that keeping the fingers moving by playing a wind or brass instrument have fewer problems with arthritis and lung and heart problems. Schools begin offering band and orchestra lessons anywhere from third to fifth grade. When you are part of the school programs, they will offer you many rental programs through the local music stores. At Vittone’s music center you rent for three months to start, which is generally going to be an excellent gauge if your child is going to continue or not. Beginning in the fourth month, you then begin paying a monthly rental fee. All money you pay towards the rental goes towards the purchase of an instrument. You can call the store for details 724-837-0877. Another feature I like from the rental program is if you have the option to switch to another instrument or trade in your violin as your child grows into the next size. This is very easy to do, and again, you will not lose anything towards your purchase. Most band and orchestra instruments can be rented. If you already have an instrument in storage or a relative can give you one, please have it checked out for any damage. You will need to have the instrument serviced, cleaned, and repaired before you start lessons. Again, check with your local music store about finding a qualified repair technician. You will need to make sure all pads, corks, keys, and such are in working order. After sitting in storage for a long time, instruments may need to be cleaned inside and out. Expect to purchase new cases, reeds, strings, or bow hair. If you are looking for a bargain, you can check the classifieds, craigslist, and the internet for used instruments. If you don’t know what you are looking for, it is easy to find a bargain that isn’t a bargain. You need to make sure the instrument is in playable condition or at least with minor repairs. Do your research on Every Story Begins At Home.
Enhance Your Life With Music piano • violin • viola • cello • guitar • voice • flute • lessons weddings • events
Lessons at Vittone’s in Greensburg
724-309-0553 vmullmusic@gmail.com
new instruments and find out what to avoid. Instruments that have dents and look beat up may not be the best first instrument. But if you are looking for an instrument to play during marching band season, that might not be too awful. Taking a brand new professional trumpet onto a muddy football field during marching band season may not be the best idea; an inexpensive starter or gently used instrument would be fine. You also need to check for hidden damage. Any interior damage to an instrument may cost more to repair than it’s worth. Finding a $50.00 violin on the internet that needs $200 in repairs isn’t such a bargain. Learn about the brands and compare who is selling the instrument. Buying a violin put together as a kit by a hobbyist rather than finding something that is well-manufactured with a guarantee can be the difference between a pleasant learning experience or always waiting for the violin to come out of the repair shop. Again, don’t think the only learner is a child. I have had more adult students begin lessons in the last ten years than ever before. I recently ran across a quote from Guitarist B.B. King, “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” That is so true. You can learn anything at any age. There are many studies which prove that learning an instrument as an adult keeps your mind young, keeps your body agile, and makes you a happier person. Music lessons are an excellent stress relief. How do you know if your child is ready to take lessons? My most successful students ask for lessons and don’t give it a rest. Maybe they heard the instrument from a concert, at school, or from the media. They form a natural attachment to
that instrument and like to learn more about it through recordings and going to concerts. Locate a teacher and set up a meeting to get expert advice. This is the best way to find out if your child is ready for the instrument in size and in development. A six-year-old may have the desire to play a trumpet, but not have the strength to play. Starting too early may make it more frustrating to continue. So compromise and work up to the instrument of their dreams. Start with the basics of the piano. Going from the piano to any other instrument is the most natural progression. Where to find a teacher? Word of mouth is the best way. Someone in your network of friends who already studies may recommend a teacher. Check with your school music teacher or church to find someone in the community. Call the local music stores: many have teachers in their stores or maintain a list of qualified teachers. There are local music teacher’s associations, and you can even Google the instrument with your zip code. However, finding someone that is recommended– and you and your kids feel comfortable with–is the best. Start with a telephone interview and then meet with the teacher. ***** Victoria Mull began teaching private violin/viola lessons while a senior at Norwin Senior High School. She continued to teach privately while majoring in Music Education at Seton Hill University, and continued graduate studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has taught at Good Shepherd Catholic School in Braddock, Mount Lebanon School District, and Saint Edwards Catholic School in Herminie; and served as choir director at West Hempfield Presbyterian Church in Irwin, PA. She continues to teach private lessons at Vittone’s in Greensburg, where students learn to practice, understand music theory, and play in ensembles. Her specialties include: piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, guitar and voice.
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SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY CALENDAR
“Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” – Malcolm S. Forbes
Through 10/17/2013 Smoke House Open Historic Stone House Restaurant 3023 National Pike, Farmington, PA 724.329.8876. http://stonehouseinn.com/ Open from 11 am to 4 pm daily. Ribs, Chicken, Brisket, Hot Sausage and Pulled Pork. Sides available. Through 11/10/2013 Furdakis: Two Generations of Sculpture Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art 1 Boucher Lane and Rt. 711 S, Ligonier, PA 724.238.6015. http://www.sama-art.org/ex_ev/ligonier.htm. Sculptures from 3 members of the Frudakis family of artists Through 9/7/2013 Agatha Christie’s Mouse Trap Cresson Lake Playhouse 279 Shapiro Rd., Loretto, PA 15940 814.472.4333. http://www.cressonlake.com/ The author comes forth with another hit about a group of strangers stranded in a boarding house during a snow storm, one of whom is a murderer. The suspects include the newly married couple who run the house, and the suspicions that are in their minds nearly wreck their perfect marriage. Through 9/29/2013 Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival 112 Renaissance Ln., West Newton, PA 15089 724.872.1670. http://pittsburghrenfest.com/ Weekends through September. The Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival combines a blend of new lively enter-tainment, old festival favorites and fun for the entire family. 9/1/2013-9/30/2013 Fred Rogers Fine Arts Regional Juried Exhibition Latrobe Art Cener and Café 819 Ligonier St., Latrobe, PA 15650 724.537.7011. http://latrobeartcenter.org/ This juried exhibition gives the artists the opportunity to not only be accepted into the show but to be chosen for consideration into the Greater Latrobe School District’s highly acclaimed Special Art Collections. 9/3/2013-9/29/2013 The Lion King Benedum Center for the Performing Arts 237 7th St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.2600. http://www.trustarts.org/visit/facilities/benedum/ Experience the phenomenon of Disney’s THE LION KING when Pittsburgh’s best-loved musical makes a triumphant return to the Benedum Center following its record-breaking 2008 engagement! Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by award-winning director Julie Taymor, whose visual images audiences will remember forever. Thrill to the rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable score including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar®-winning song “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Circle Of Life.” Let your imagination run wild when the Tony Award®-winning Broadway sensation returns to the Benedum Center stage. 9/4/2013-9/8/2013 Farmers & Threshermens Jubilee New Centerville Off PA Turnpike, Exit #110 (Somerset), New Centerville, PA 15557. 814.926.3142 The Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee has been known as the festival with the steam engines and the dog powered butter churn. The Jubilee has five days of events for the entire family. Come cheer for your favorite contestant at the Outhouse Dash Race, held after the wonderful Grand Jubilee parade. Many tractor, A.T.V., truck, semi-truck pulling contests and even a horse pulling contest are held during the week. Stage entertainment, crafts, quilt show and lots of good food await you at the Jubilee! 9/5/2013-9/5/2013 Greater Greensburg Civil War Roundtable Meeting Westmoreland Bar Association 129 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg, PA 15601 724.834.6730. http://www.west bar.org/. At the September 5th meeting Ken Williams will host a program about the Gettysburg Aftermath.
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9/6/2013-9/8/2013 Mountain Craft Days Somerset Historical Center 10649 Somerset Pike, Somerset, PA 15501 814.445.6077. http://www.somersethistoricalcenter.org/ 9/6,19,20/2013 Steeltowns, Coalfields and the Unbroken Circle Johnstown Flood National Memorial 814.262.6425. http://pahumanities.org Tom Breiding delivers unique musical stories of life in American towns over the last century. From Pittsburgh’s forgotten steel mills, to the coalfields of Western Virginia and to points in between, Breiding shares his original compositions and traditional folktales. With guitar, banjo and harmonica accompaniment, Breiding captivates audiences while they learn about the history behind West Virginia’s coal industry and about generations of workers in the steel, coal and glass industries of Pittsburgh. 9/6/2013-9/8/2013 Pittsburgh Irish Festival Riverplex at Sandcastle 1000 Sandcastle Dr, Homestead, PA 15120 412.422.1113. http://www.pghirishfest.org/ Celebrate the richness of Ireland through lively music, savory Irish food and world championship dancing at the 23rd Annual Pittsburgh Irish Festival, September 6-8, 2013 (always the weekend after Labor Day) – now at Riverplex at Sandcastle! Discover the Irish culture firsthand for three days only. Enjoy an authentic Irish marketplace, wide selection of tasty Irish cuisine, extensive children’s area, and four continuous entertainment and cultural stages. Visit the variety of Irish dogs, dance the jig, play the harp and Irish drum, and learn the Irish language. Celebrate Gaelic Mass on Sunday. Visit www.pghirishfest.org for info. Fun for the entire family ~ join us at the biggest Irish celebration of the year ~ the Pittsburgh Irish Festival! 9/7/2013-9/15/2013 Idlewild’s Oktoberfest Idlewild and SoakZone Route 30 East, Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.3666. http://www.idlewild.com/index.php Weekends. Celebrate all things Bavarian with traditional German-style music and delicious ethnic food - including plenty of pretzels and strudel. Featuring the rides and attractions you love - plus a craft fair, “oompah” bands and even the Chicken Dance! 9/7/2013-9/7/2013 Longaberger Heritage Days Longaberger Homestead 5563 Raiders Rd, Frazeyburg, Ohio 740.322.5588. www.longabergerhomestead.com One of Longaberger’s most anticipated events of the year, Heritage Days features baskets and so much more! Weave your own warm brown Heritage Days Basket. Let the kids can paint a piece of pottery, explore the Heritage Way, enjoy delicious fall festival food, live musical entertain-ment and, of course, enter to win prizes through games and give-aways. 9/7/2013-9/7/2013 Hometown-Homegrown Heinz History Center 1212 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.421.9859. www.goodtastepittsburgh.com Hometown-Homegrown is a celebration of Pittsburgh’s food-neighborhood by neighborhood. Sample food from nearly 50 local vendors representing the best of the ‘Burgh! Enjoy activities throughout five floors of the History Center, including “Pittsburgh Best Pierogi” contest. 10 am to 3 pm 9/7/2013-9/7/2013 Mingo Creek Park Observatory Public Star Party Mingo Creek Park From New Stanton- Take I-70 West, Merge onto PA -43 Turnpike North (portions toll), Take the Rt.-136 exit - Exit#44-toward Eighty Four/Monongahela, Turn left onto Dry Run Rd/Rt.-136. Continue to follow Rt. 136, Turn right onto Mansion Hill, Arrive Mingo C 724.348.6150.www.3ap.org The Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh will show you the night sky, if it’s at least 50% clear. Dress warm. Stay late. Be amazed. Free admission; donations accepted. Dusk-?, weather permitting.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
9/7/2013-9/28/2013 Pennsylvania Civil War Living History Demonstration Heinz History Center 1212 Smallman St, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.454.6000. www.heinzhistorycenter.org Saturdays 11 am to 3 pm. The exhibit features Civil War-themed living history demonstrations on select weekends and special events throughout the year. Interact with living history demonstrators - including soldiers, officers, nurses, musicians, and civilians - for a realistic portrayal of life in Western Pennsylvania during the war. 9/8/2013-9/8/2013 Hanna’s Town Antiques & Collectibles Market Historic Hanna’s Town 809 Forbes Trail Rd., Greensburg, PA 15601 724.532.1935. www.westmorelandhistory.org Historic Hanna’s Town has hosted its popular Antiques & Collectibles sales for 40 years! This longstanding community tradition brings together more than 100 vendors in a quaint and historic setting. A variety of one-ofa-kind items covering a wide price range are featured at each sale. Good buying and selling opportunities abound for lovers of antiques and collectibles and anyone seeking vintage items that are not available at department stores. 9/8/2013-10/20/2013 Defending the Caveman The Cabaret at Theater Square 655 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.325.6769. http://trustarts.org 9/11/2013-9/28/2013 A Skull in Connemara Foster Memorial Hall: Charity Randall Theatre 4301 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15250 412.624.7529. http://www.play.pitt.edu/ For one week each autumn, Mick Dowd is hired to disinter the bones in certain sections of his local cemetery to make way for the new arrivals. As the time approaches for him to dig up the bones of his own late wife, strange rumors regarding his involvement in her sudden death seven years ago begin to resurface. McDonagh, author of The Lieutenant of Inishmore, brings you part thriller-whodunit and part farce, accented with flying skulls and bloody scenes. Strong language and situations. 9/14/2013-9/15/2013 Smicksburg Apple Fest Smicksburg 138 E. Kittanning St., Smicksburg, PA 16256 724.463.7505. http://www.smicksburg.net/events.html 9/14/2013-9/14/2013 Black Angels Over Tuskegee Byham Theater 101 6th St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.6666. http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org “Black Angels over Tuskegee” is a story told in narrative of six men embarking on a journey to become pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces. The play explores their collective struggle with Jim Crow, challenging their intelligence, patriotism, brotherhood and dreams of an inclusive and fair society. The play goes beyond the headlines of popular stories and reveals the heart and soul of the Tuskegee Airmen who exhibited the courage to excel in spite of all the overwhelming odds against them. Almost 100 Tuskegee Airmen came from Western PA making it the largest contingent in the country. 9/14/2013-9/14/2013 Insider Tour of Meadowcroft Rockshelter with Dr. James Adovasio Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Historic Village Avella, PA 724.587.3412. www.heinzhistorycenter.org Meadowcroft Rockshelter, the oldest site of human habitation in North America, is located in Avella, Pa., 35 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. The National Historic Landmark features a massive, 16,000-year-old rock overhang used by the region’s earliest inhabitants for shelter, and was recently named one of the “Five Great Places to See Evidence of First Americans” by Smithsonian magazine. Reservations are required, as space is limited. Admission to this special event is $20 per person. 9/15/2013-12:00:00 AM Early Log Structures of Westmoreland County Baltzer Meyer Historical Society 642 Baltzer Meyer Pike, Greensburg, PA 15601 724.836.6915. http://baltzermeyer.pa-roots.com/Pages/index.html A pictorial tour of some of the area’s oldest buildings. 9/15/2013-9/15/2013 Seldom Seen Tours Hartwood Acres Park 200 Hartwood Acres, Pittsburgh, PA 15238. 412.767.9200. www.alleghenycounty.us Seldom Seen Tours given at 1 and 2:30 pm. Reservations required. Cost is $6 per guest.
Every Story Begins At Home.
9/17/2013-9/29/2013 Let’s Murder Marsha Mountain Playhouse 7690 Somerset Pike, Boswell, PA 15531. 412.629.9201 A very pretty but hair-brained wife named Marsha is hopelessly addicted to reading murder mysteries though her straitlaced, wealthy, stockbroker husband, Tobias, does not approve of her reading them. The evening before Marsha’s birthday, an attractive and well-dressed woman accompanies Tobias home to secretly make plans for a birthday party celebration they are arranging for Marsha. While eavesdropping, Marsha overhears a part of their conversation and jumps to the conclusion that that her husband is planning to kill her so that he can run off with the mysterious visitor. With the help of her plucky maid and a bachelor neighbor, Marsha hatches a plot to turn the tables on her husband and his suspect guest. Then her mother shows up and a policeman arrives on the scene....a wild and woolly farce takes flight. Fast-paced and witty, this family entertainment shows the degree to which a fertile imagination can alter the perception of reality. 9/19/2013-9/19/2013 Coal Mining Songs of the Northeast Turkeyfoot Valley Historical Society 600 Logan Place, Confluence, PA 15424 814.443.9023. www.tfvhs.com/ This informative yet musical program highlights the struggles and disasters of coal miners in northeast Pennsylvania. Documented and researched original compositions are presented by first explaining their origin, then musically through song. Presenter Jay Smar accompanies his vocals with guitar, claw-hammer banjo, fiddle and a form of clog dancing. Coal mining photos, books and chronicles also are shared with the audience. 9/20/2013-9/22/2013 Beauty and the Beast Ligonier Theatre 208 W. Main St., Ligonier, Pa 15658 724.238.6514. http://ligoniertheatre.com/ 9/20/2013-9/20/2013 The Musket Ball Ft. Ligonier 200 S. Market St., Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.9701. http://fortligonier.org It’s NOT a dance, but you’ll have a ball! 9/20/2013-9/22/2013 15th Annual Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest Downtown Canonsburg Pike Street, Canonsburg, PA 724.745.1812. www.canonchamber.com Beer, Bands, Bratwurst! Two stages of live entertainment; avenue of German and ethnic foods; vendors; amusements, games and more! Free shuttle service available. Free admission. Fri 4-11pm; Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 12-6pm. 9/21/2013-9/22/2013 Derry Railroad Days Derry South Chestnut St., Derry, PA 15627 724.309.1746 http://www.derryrailroaddays.com/ Derry Railroad Days has a purpose to recognize and preserve the railroad hertiage of Eastern Westmoreland County, especially Derry Station. It is important to honor the railroad men and women for their significant contributions to the culture, enrichment, and history of the Derry Area. 9/21/2013-9/21/2013 2013 Historic House Tour Westmoreland County Historical Society 362 Sandhill Rd., Suite 1, Greensburg, PA 15601 724.532.1935. www.westmorelandhistory.org Self driving tour of a number of significant historic homes in Westmoreland County. 9/21/2013-9/21/2013 55th Ligonier Highland Games Idlewild and SoakZone Route 30 East, Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.3666. http://www.ligonierhighlandgames.org/ Follow the skirl of bagpipes to beautiful Ligonier at Idlewild Park for the annual gathering of the Clans. Join your freinds, neighbors and fellow fans of all things Scottish at the Ligonier Highland Games and experience exciting competitions 9/21/2013-9/29/2013 Penn’s Colony Festival & Folk Art Marketplace Penn’s Colony Festival 365 Saxonburg Blvd, Saxonburg, PA 16056 724.352.9922. http://www.pennscolony.com/ Penn’s Colony Festival features artists and musical entertainment reminiscent of the historic time period of the French and Indian War. Held in Saxonburg, Butler County, celebrating its 29th year and set on 12 easy
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walking, tree shaded acres, Penn’s Colony brings history to life. Through arts and crafts, entertainment, family activities such as games and pony rides, and more, Penn’s Colony has something for everyone. The marketplace features 150 exhibits from juried artisans offering quality, handmade in America crafts, jewelry, food, furniture and functional items from their shops nestled along the village streets. 9/21/2013-9/21/2013 The Butler Fall Festival Main Street Butler Main Street (Route 8), Butler, PA 16001 http://www.butlerfallfestival.com/ Join us for the Annual Butler Fall Festival on Main Street in downtown Butler. Enjoy an entire day of family fun:* Live entertainment * Children’s rides, games & many other activities* Arts & crafts* Food, food & more food!* Classic car cruise sponsored by the Rodfather’s Car Club* And More 9/21/2013-9/21/2013 Museum Gala: Masks, Music, A Night in Venice Indiana University of Pennsylvania University Museum Indiana, PA 724.357.2397. www.iup.edu This year’s annual benefit event creates a night in con-temporary Venice with art, music, dinner and dancing. Reservations required. 6 to 10 pm. 9/21/2013-9/21/2013 Fall Discovery Days California University of Pennsylvania California, PA 724.938.4000. www.calu.edu Just starting to look for a college? Our Fall Discovery Days are exactly what you need. Explore all that Cal U has to offer in one fun, informational program. Get the scoop on more than 100 undergraduate majors, find how to get involved with student activities and clubs, and learn more about our winning sports teams. You can also sit in on a college class and take a tour of campus to experience what Cal U is all about! 9/21/2013-9/22/2013 Washington & Greene Counties 43rd Annual Covered Bridge Festival Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Historic Village Avella, PA 724.228.5520. www.heinzhistorycenter.org Visit Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Historic Village’s Pine Bank Covered Bridge during this annual celebration of covered bridges. For more festival information visit the Washington County Tourism Agency website or call. 9/21/2013-10/27/2013 Trax Farms Fall Festival Trax Farms 528 Trax Rd, Finleyville, PA 15332 412.835.3246. www.traxfarms.com Our annual Fall Festival on our 148-year-old farm, is a tradition for many families in the South Hills and greater Pittsburgh area. There’s something for everyone from grandparents to grandkids. The festival kicks off on the first day of fall on September 22 and runs to October 28. Festival hours are 10am to 5pm every weekend. Enjoy a hayride to our pumpkin patch to pick-your-own pumpkin or see if you can find your way through our giant, 4-acre corn maze! 10 am to 5 pm 9/23/2013-9/23/2013 Meet General George G. Meade Hampton Township Community Building Allison Park, PA 724.316.5859 Using Meade’s own words and extensive background research, Anthony Waskie, speaking as General Meade, recounts the general’s career and services to the nation. From his work as an engineer and lighthouse builder, to combat in the Seminole and Mexican Wars, to his assuming command of the Union Army on the eve of the Battle of Gettysburg (where he handed Lee his first defeat), Meade was integral to the survival of the Union. Not only successful in war, Meade also designed Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, founded two schools for orphans of Civil War veterans and helped integrate surviving veterans back into peaceful pursuits. Audiences are encourage to ask the “General” questions about his life and work.
An exhibition addressing the transformative power of arts as a vehicle to promote dialogue and awareness in an effort to stem an epidemic of violence in the Pittsburgh region. 9/27/2013-9/27/2013 Once Upon a Time Heinz Hall 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.392.4900. http://culturaldistrict.org Join Music Director Manfred Honeck and cellist Yo-Yo Ma for a spectacular opening to the PSO’s 2013-2014 season! With no fewer than 15 Grammy Awards, The Avery Fisher Prize and The National Medal of Arts to his name, Yo-Yo Ma performs Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra. Also, hear Dvoøák’s Carnival Overture and other works of music inspired by fairy tales. 9/28/2013-9/28/2013 22nd Annual Ebensburg PotatoFest Ebensburg 300 W. High St., Ebensburg, PA 15931 814.472.8780. http://www.potatofest.com/ The Ebensburg PotatoFest is an annual event in Ebensburg, PA celebrating Cambria County potatoes and its growers. It is held on the last Saturday of September each year! The county is the second largest supplier of potatoes in the state. The festival is a fun-filled day of arts, crafts, entertainment, and food for the entire family. Entertainers perform throughout the day with music to please all ages. Over 200 crafters and artisans line the streets for blocks with homemade wares and food of all kinds. Join in the festivities and spend the day in our beautiful community! 9/28/2013-9/28/2013 Hot Pink Pittsburgh August Wilson Center for the African American Culture 980 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.258.2700. http://www.adagiohealth.org A fiery evening of jazz with Pittsburgh’s best performers to benefit Adagio Health!
Looking Ahead . . . 10/1/2013-10/13/2013 Church Basement Ladies, A Second Helping Mountain Playhouse 7690 Somerset Pike, Boswell, PA 15531 814.629.9201 They are servin’ it up again in the Church Basement Kitchen with the sequel to the highly popular musical comedy Church Basement Ladies. This time around, the year is 1969 and the world is changing. As folks protest the Vietnam War and woman are demanding equal pay for equal work, in their small rural Minnesota community, the ladies of the Lutheran church basement kitchen are dealing with changes of their own. The Church Basement Ladies take us from serving the High School students at the LutherLeague Banquet to a church sponsored Missionary Night, to the rise and fall of the Viking’s Super Bowl Sunday. From the elderly matriarch of the kitchen to the young mom-to-be, these women find strength in each other as they deal with the upheavals and joys from below the House of God! “You’ll laugh until your sidedish hurts” with their frolicsome antics and down-to-earth charm from within the church basement. 10/3/2013-10/3/2013 Greater Greensburg Civil War Roundtable Meeting Westmoreland Bar Association 129 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Greensburg, PA 15601 724.834.6730. www.westbar.org/ Alan Guthrie will host a program about the Chickamauga. 10/3/2013-11/14/2013 Autumn Natural History Walks/Tours Boyce Park 675 Old Frankstown Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15239 724.327.0338. http://www.alleghenycounty.us Guided tours of the Natural History Museums, Boyce Park/Harrison Hills Park with interpretive walks on the nature/hiking trails!
9/27/2013-9/29/2013 Mount Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival Mount Pleasant 1 Etze Ave., Mount Pleasant, PA 15666 724.542.4711 http://www.mtpleasantglassandethnicfestival.com/ Mount Pleasant welcomes you to be a part of our autumn tradition. The Mount Pleasant Glass & Ethnic Festival is an annual street festival that celebrates our area’s glass making history and ethnic diversity. Free Admission! Free Entertainment! Fun for all ages!
10/4/2013-10/6/2013 Smicksburg Fall Festival Smicksburg 138 E. Kittanning St., Smicksburg, PA 16256 724.463.7505. www.smicksburg.net/events.html Always a favorite time in Smicksburg as the fall foliage adds a special beauty to all the festivities and entertainment this fabulous weekend.
9/27/2013-3/22/2014 ENOUGH Violence: Artists Speak Out Society for Contempory Craft 2100 Smallman St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.261.7003 x 15. http://www.contemporarycraft.org/SCC/Calendar.html
10/5/2013-10/27/2013 Idlewild’s HALLOWBOO! Idlewild Route 30 East, Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.3666. www.idlewild.com It’s the Idlewild you know and love with a FUN, family oriented Happy Halloween twist! Trick-or-Treat through Story Book Forest and enjoy themed rides and attaractions. Operating hours are from Noon-6 pm
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LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
10/5/2013-10/6/2013 Delmont Apple ‘n Arts Festival Shield’s Farm Delmont, PA. http://delmontapplenarts.com The Delmont Apple ‘n Arts Festival is a craft show in Western, Pennsylvania that recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary (1982 – 2012). Featuring over 100 arts and crafts vendors and 30 food vendors, you can find handmade items from local crafters, delicious food, hot apple cider, and home-made apple treats. 10/5/2013-3/16/2014 2013 Carnegie International Carnegie Museum of Art 4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412.622.3131. www.cmoa.org Initiated by Andrew Carnegie in 1896 in Pittsburgh, and presented every three to five years at Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie International is among the leading exhibitions of contemporary art worldwide. The International serves to present an American audience, especially that of Western Pennsylvania, with a broad and ambitious survey of the art of our time. With hundreds of works by artists from around the globe-including many commissioned specifically for the showthe 2013 International will be a catalyst for new ways to present, experience, and think about art. - See more at: http://www.visitpa.com/paevents/2013-carnegie-international#sthash.kbxWH1V2.dpuf 10/9/2013-10/12/2013 It’s Dark Outside Trust Arts Education Center 805-807 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.6666. http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org Inspired by experiences and research into Alzheimer’s and Sundowner’s Syndrome, Tim Watts’ newest production in collaboration with Arielle Gray and Chris Isaacs, is a heartfelt, fearless, and inventive adventure. Puppetry, mask, animation, live performance and an original music score by the award-winning composer Rachael Dease, are expertly intertwined to create a grand epic Western about redemption and dementia. 10/11/2013-10/13/2013 Ft. Ligonier Days Ligonier 200 S. Market St., Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.9701. http://fortligonier.org Fort Ligonier Days, a popular three-day annual festival held throughout the town of Ligonier, commemorates the Battle of Fort Ligonier, a key engagement of the French and Indian War, fought on October 12, 1758. 10/11/2013-10/13/2013 Honeck, Dvorak and Mozart Heinz Hall 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.392.4900. http://culturaldistrict.org Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva debuts at Heinz Hall with Mozart’s famous Piano Concerto No. 21. This concerto was nicknamed “Elvira Madigan” in 1967 for its inclusion on the soundtrack to the film of the same name. Dvoøák’s cheerful Symphony No. 8 is inspired by the folk music of the composer’s native Bohemia. 10/12/2013-10/12/2013 Fall Tea at Bushy Run Battlefield Bushy Run Battlefield 1253 Bushy Run Rd., Jeannette, PA 15644 Join Bushy Run Battlefield for a full serving of Tea. Reservations. 10/12/2013-10/20/2013 AIDA Benedum Center for the Performing Arts 237 7th St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.2600. http://www.trustarts.org/visit/facilities/benedum/ 10/12/2013-10/12/2013 Fall Harvest Festival & Craft Show Apple Castle LLC 277 State Route 18, New Wilmington, PA 16142 724.652.3221. www.applecastle.com Bring the whole family to select your pumpkins from our great supply, along with an assortment of fall decorations including gourds, miniature pumpkins, mums and corn stalks. Of course, you’ll want to select a large bag of delicious Apple Castle apples, and a few jugs of our refreshing cider to take home to enjoy and share with your friends. 10/12/2013-10/12/2013 Nemacolin Woodlands Resort’s Rocktoberfest Nemacolin Woodlands Resort 1001 LaFayette Dr., Farmington, PA 15437 866.344.6957. www.nemacolin.com Nemacolin is excited to present their 2nd Annual Rocktoberfest, an exciting day filled with live music, craft beer and activities! You won’t want to miss this opportunity to taste over 70 varieties of craft beer from over 20 breweries! Event admission is FREE and brewfest
Every Story Begins At Home.
admission is only $20 per person and includes a souvenir event glass and 5 People’s Choice tickets to vote for your favorite brew. Brewfest participants must be 21 years of age or older and provide proper identification. 10/12/2013-10/12/2013 Insider Tour of Meadowcroft Rockshelter with Dr. James Adovasio Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Historic Village Avella, PA 724.587.3412. www.heinzhistorycenter.org Meadowcroft Rockshelter, the oldest site of human habitation in North America, is located in Avella, Pa., 35 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. The National Historic Landmark features a massive, 16,000year-old rock overhang used by the region’s earliest inhabitants for shelter, and was recently named one of the “Five Great Places to See Evidence of First Americans” by Smithsonian magazine. Reservations are required, as space is limited. Admission to this special event is $20 per person. 10/19/2013-10/20/2013 Potter’s Tour Smicksburg 138 E. Kittanning St., Smicksburg, PA 16256 724.463.7505. www.smicksburg.net/events.html 10/20/2013-10/20/2013 Pittsburgh and the Mexican War Baltzer Meyer Historical Society 642 Baltzer Meyer Pike, Greensburg, PA 15601 724.836.6915 http://baltzermeyer.pa-roots.com/Pages/index.html Details the pivotal role Pittsburgh played in a war that proved to be a prelude to the American Civil War. 10/20/2013-10/27/2013 Peter Pan Byham Theater 101 6th St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.6666. http://trustarts.culturaldistrict.org Peter Pan has never been told like this! Seven children retell this classic tale in a way that will enchant audiences. The adventure begins as the children plan to put on a play using whatever they can find in the attic. The children are transformed into the classic characters of Peter Pan right before your eyes. This production encourages children to let their imaginations take “flight” and to create their own adventures. 10/25/2013-10/27/2013 Haunted Halloween Event Compass Inn 1382 Route 30 East, Laughlintown, PA 15655 724.238.4983. www.compassinn.com Evening storytelling and haunted tour of Compass Inn Museum. 6 to 9 pm Friday and Saturday, 5 to 8 pm Sunday 10/26/2013-10/26/2013 Ft. Ligonier SPOOKTACULAR! Ft. Ligonier 200 S. Market St., Ligonier, PA 15658 724.238.9701. http://fortligonier.org/events_calendar.php Treats (no tricks!) for the kids! 10/29/2013-11/3/2014 We Will Rock You Benedum Center for the Performing Arts 237 7th St., Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412.456.2600. http://www.trustarts.org/visit/facilities/benedum/ WE WILL ROCK YOU features the greatest hits of the legendary British rock group, Queen. Now in its 11th year in London and seen by a staggering 15 million people worldwide, this hilarious, multi-award-winning and record-breaking phenomenon is written by celebrated British comedian Ben Elton and boasts a fantastic score of killer Queen tunes that you just can’t resist singing along to, such as “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “We Are The Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and, of course, “We Will Rock You.” It’s the world champion of musicals and the show that rocks harder than any other, so don’t miss the party.
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CALENDAR SUBMISSIONS Family-friendly, cultural, and nonprofit events take precedence when print space is a consideration. calendar@laurelmountainpost.com PO Box 332 Ligonier PA 15658
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Four Seasons by Nancy A. Clark Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall . . . Is there a fairest among them all? Ours was a four-season family, and every season had its cheerleader. Take spring, for example; Mom’s favorite. My mother claimed the “Resurrection Season” as her reward for surviving splintered snow shovels, bulky snowsuits and lost mittens. She rooted for flowering snow drops as they pushed through dingy Pennsylvania snow drifts, sighed with relief when she packed away Arctic snow boots with their nail-breaking buckles, and saluted the bed sheets flapping on the clothesline in a sun-drenched April breeze. Mom so deplored the long cold nights and short dark days of winter, she’d bake a cake to celebrate the return of Daylight Savings Time. She readied emptied Mason jars for sprigs and branches of lemony-yellow forsythia, lavender lilacs, and rosecolored peonies to set on the dining table. She was most alive when pregnant buds gave birth to dogwood blossoms, when spring’s green-sheen coated the weeping willow fronds, and when jaunty jonquils and “daffydillies” nodded to her from winterweary flower beds. Mom raised her “Sis, Boom, Bah” for spring, and she was rewarded–in spades. Dad threw his “Rah-Rah-Rah” into the hot, steamy months of summer. Even with labor-intensive chores like hand-spading the garden and whitewashing the outhouse, summer livin’ was easy, relatively speaking. We complained about heat and humidity, but he embraced them. A man who worked 10-hour shifts in a deep, dark coal mine had a different perspective of life – and weather conditions – than did those of us who gloried in the seasons from topside. Summer served up huge helpings of watermelon and major league 46 - September 2013
baseball – two of my father’s favorite seasonal treats, and he relished them in tandem. In my mind’s eye, he still sits next to the table-top Philco, biting into thick, cold slices of juicy watermelon while The Voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bob “The Gunner” Prince, relays the play-by-play from Forbes Field. “It’s the bottom of the ninth, folks. The bases are loaded, and the score is tied as The Maz steps up to the plate.”
Ah, yes; Dad rooted for summer, and summer scored with Dad. My younger siblings cheered in unison for winter, even though it meant frozen noses and “toeses” and lectures about lost mittens (you naughty kittens). What kid didn’t delight in holiday breaks from school, bonus time on sleds and skates and hours of fort-building and snowballing. Throw in holiday turkey and pumpkin pie . . . flannel Roy Rogers jammies and skillet popcorn . . . Christmas morning and brown paper packages tied up with string, and what’s not to love! Three out of the four youngin’s in our house agreed: winter rocked. In spite of hearty campaigns for the aforementioned seasons, I reveled in autumn. From where I stood – statue-still under a shedding maple tree - there was no doubt The Master Colorist painted every ruby-
red, gleaming gold and iridescent leaf just for me. And when Mother Nature exhaled, coaxing leaves to skitter across the school yard on their tips and sterns, she choreographed their dance for my personal, eternal enjoyment. Autumn was – and is – aroma therapy in 4-D “smell-a-vision.” Consider the spicy plumes of smoke spiraling from a burning pile of leaves . . . the sweet promise of hot, cinnamon-y dumplings wafting from a basket of late apples . . . the musk of mist rising from the evening’s dews and damps. It’s still more intoxicating to me than Chanel #5 - and free for the sniffing. Will I ever tire of the crunch of dry leaves beneath my shoes, or of “skies blue as God’s eyes,” or of the tickle in my soul when Tony Bennett croons AUTUMN IN NEW YORK? I think not. Autumn and I were made for each other. No other season so definitively stimulates my inquisitive nature nor sharpens my senses. Why is the sky so much bluer in October? Who determines Which rose is the last rose of summer? When will Indian Summer begin? And What is that slimy, thread-like trail left behind by wooly worms in their fall crawl? In my dotage, I cheer for the confections of every season - the “daffydillies” and dogwoods of spring, the heat-lightning that splits the sky on a summer night and the austere purity of winter’s snow. But there’s something inexplicably exciting and humbling about the bold superiority of autumn. She rewards, she rocks and she scores – in spades. Go, autumn, Go! I’ll always be her head cheerleader. ***** Nancy Clark and her husband, Tom, rejoice in 50 years of marriage, three children and three grandchildren. She dabbles in freelance and memoir writing when she isn’t baking, knitting, reading, or building a jigsaw puzzle.
LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
The 106th Annual
Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival The Flax Scutching Festival features descendants of Ligonier Valley pioneers recreating the art of making linen from the flax plant. Sa turda y, September 14 & S un da y, September 15 Saturda turday Sun unda day Located on Route 711 in Stahlstown, PA 4 miles north of PA Turnpike Exit 91, Donegal 8 miles south of Ligonier coming from Route 30
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POST Join Us Online!
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END NOTES by Cathi Gerhard
The Savage Beast In fourth grade I beat up a kid for picking on my best friend, teasing him for crying the day after his grandmother had died. I’m sure I could have found a better way to handle that situation, but at ten years old, it seemed like the right choice. On the other hand, some people just need their stuffing kicked out – and replaced. I really wanted to title this article, “Mean People Suck,” because that is pretty much the bottom line of my belief system. On the other hand, I also try to follow some simple wisdom when it comes to dealing with bullies:
functional–and friendly– like they are at the end of a Hallmark channel movie. Our Laurel Mountain Post readers rave about Ruthie Richardson’s “Memory Lane” columns, citing the nostalgia of simpler, happier times. If we miss the corner market, why don’t we patronize the ones that still exist? Everyone can afford to do some of their shopping on Main Street, even if the low prices of the big box stores and unliveable wages these days demand our loyalty to the corporate chain gang. It’s not always conve-
“Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” These wise words often appear on the internet in various formats, most recently at the top of my Facebook feed one morning. Considering the number of “likes” and “shares” I observe this type of motivational quote receiving daily, there should be a lot more kindness out there in my world. But to my consistent disappointment, most people continue to take a very singular view– pushing and shoving their way through life trying to grab all they can. Some even delight in the collateral damage they cause to others along the way, gloating about their triumphs to anyone who will listen – and mindlessly cheer them on. I think most of us would love to see a real-life Jimmy Stewart head to Washington (as in Mr. Smith), but yet we would never allow that to happen today. How did we let the bullies (corporations, politicians, selfish people) take over the world, and why are we so powerless to fix it? It frustrates me to always wonder why we never actually vote for the change we all want at heart, let alone stand by it. I want to believe that small towns and communities of people can actually be 48 - September 2013
nient, but I take my personal business to the small, independent market whenever possible in order to support that ideal. Laziness and poor planning find me queuing up to be punched out by the cranky and chaotic weekend aisles of WalMart; a bit of planning and patience makes me a more considerate and organized weekday Main Street shopper who can easily handle sharing and even waiting in line! The power to change everything begins within ourselves and our benevolent understanding of each other : empathy. It
takes effort to be part of a community, and courage to fight the bullies. It’s even harder to respect their opinions, despite the harsh delivery. Most of the time we just keep our heads down, not wanting to get tangled up in other people’s problems. And that’s when it happens . . . our apathy allows those menacing tentacles to swell and grab us by the throat, at every age and stage of life. This week (as I write), all the kids headed back to school in Westmoreland County. For the first time in a while, I am filled with optimism for my son and his peers. As they enter high school as freshman, I hope they have grown and matured enough to leave their mean, selfcentered middle school selves behind at the door – from now on. The are many programs in place to help children handle bullying: from depression and anxiety to self-esteem. A website called A Mighty Girl (.com) boasts that it has “the world’s largest collection of books, toys and movies for smart, confident and courageous girls.” From their blog I discovered an organization located in central Pennsylvania called “PleaseLive.org,” formed by a Alexa Moody, college freshman, as a response to the rising number of local suicides. Three year later, it is considered a mental health staple in our state’s capital. Their services do not reach out to Westmoreland County, but with continued funding, it continues to expand. Perhaps if we can teach our children how to handle complex emotions, to seek help when its needed, and to reach out to those who aren’t as strong, we can begin to soothe the savage beast controlling our world. It’s also time to set an example. Our words and actions have exponential consequences. Please use them responsibly and respectfully while standing up for your beliefs. Maybe then we can be the change we seek in the world afterall. LAUREL MOUNTAIN POST
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